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[H1©[^T(^- 
AfLES- 






TRUTH IN A NUTSHELL 

By Harold F. Sayles. 



A sixteen-page tract, invaluable for christians, in personal work with the 
unsaved. 

It consists of Scripture quotations printed in full, the thought of the verse 
being underlined, and brief explanation and illustration added thereto. It 
begins with the sinner lost, and leads him on, step by step, into the truth, 
showing him how and when to become a christian, now to live and work for 
God. Each page is a chapter by itself. 2c each j 15c per dozen; f 1.00 per 
100, postpaid. 

USED BY LEADING WORKERS EVERYWHERE. 

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for use with inquiers," 

OTHER COMMENDATIONS. 

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New York. 

"I believe it presents the truth clearer than any other tract I have had." 
J. W. T. Pennsylvania. 

"I believe it will be one of the biggest helps for christian workers yet 
published." Rev. J. McG. Michigan. 

"It is the best thing of the kind I have ever examined. It will do grea** 
good, specially among the masses." G. R. McW. (Evangelist). St. Ix>uis, 
Missouri. 

•*I don't 6ee how a person reading it carefully can fail to see himself a 
sinner, and Christ an all-sufficient Savior," F. F. B. Maryland. 

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believe it will have a wide circulation." Daniel Sloan, Chicago, 111. 

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fies its power. May the Lord richly own it with His blessing." Dr. E. P. 
3oodwin, Chicago, Ul. 

"I like the matter of your *Nut Shell' very much. The plan is fine ; the 
selection most excellent and it deserves a wide circulation." Fleminec Hi 
Revell, Chicago, 111. ^* 

PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE BY 

THE EVANGELICAL PUBLISHING CO., 

CMICAGO. 



THE WORD FOR THE WORK. 

Compiled by Harold F. Saylks. 



There are many who would be glad to do personal work with 
the unsaved, if they knew just how to meet their need. 

What is wanted for this work is not an acquaintance with 
Science or Philosophy, hut with the Word of God. 

"The Word for the Work" is a little eight- page tract of 
medium size, 4x6 inches, printed on thin paper so that it can be 
inserted in one's Bible for ready reference. 

It contains over 200 choice texts of Scripture, printed in full, 
with the thought of each verse emphasized by full-faced type. 

These verses are arranged under thirty different heads of 
uniform size, each containing from six to eight verses, from 
which the worker can make his selections. 

This tract will enable one inexperienced in the use of the 
Bible, to become proficient in a very short time, and it will 
encourage a timid one to venture out in personal work. 

They are so cheap, that any Pastor, Superintendent, or 
Teacher can afford to purchase enough, so that they can place 
a copy in the hands of all their workers, and by so doing help 
them very much in christian life, as well as work. 

Price, 3c each ; 25e per dozen ; $1.00 per 100, postpaid. 

TUlO TDAPT ^^ ^^^^ printed on heavy book paper, with 
iniO irinul Manilla cover for pocket use, 5c. each or 
45c. per dozen, postpaid. 

The late L. A. Willard, one of the most experienced Bible 
instructors and personal workers in the country, and for years 
the teacher of the Chicago Y. M. C. A. Training Class, says: 

" The Word for the Work is the best thing of the kind I have 
ever seen." 

PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE BY 

THE EVANGELICAL PUBLISHING CO., 

CmCAGO, 



SHALL U 



Sbort Scriptural StuDic^* 



BY ^ 

HHROIiD R SHYIiSS, 

Evange:i,isx, 



^ F£B 1 

INTRODUCTION BY 
GEORGE \"iZ^ILxLIi^MS, ESQ, ( 



OF LONIX)N, ENGLAND. 

Founder of the Y. J/. C. A, 



, 77X 



CHICAGO: 
The Evangewcai. Pubi^ishing Company. 



« 



o\ 



^'tl 



COPYRIGHTED BY 

HAROLD F. SAYLES 
1891. 




©ONTENT^ 



CHAPTER 


PAGE 


I 


Dancing 


9 


2 


The Theatre .... 


. 19 


5 


Card Pi^aying . . . . 


29 


4 


The Use of Tobacco 


. 39 


5 


SociAi, Gossip . . . . 


49 


-6 


Christian Reading 


. 59 


7 


Christian Extravagances 


69 


8 


The Christian's Money 


. 79 


9 


Sunday Sinning . . . . 


89 


lO 


Home and its Infi^uences 


. 99 


II 


Business and its Dangers 


109 


t2 


The Church and its Mission 


. 119 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



All scripture is given by ir^spiratior^ of 
God, ar^d is profitable for doctriney for 
reproof for correction^ for instruction in 
rigl^teousness. — Secoftd Timothy j.-id- 



DEDICATED TO MY FATHER; 

WHO 

I.EFT ME, IN MY YOUTH, 

THE I.EGACY OF A GODI,Y EXAMPI.E 

AT The FAMII^Y AI.TAR OF THE HOME, 

IN THE OFFICE OF HIS PROFESSIONAIv I<IFE, 

AND BEFORE THE CHURCH ON THE I^ORD'S DAY; 

AI,!, OF WHICH, 

HAS BEEN WORTH MORE TO ME 

THAN SII.VER AND GOIvD. 



PREFACE. 



These twelve short and unpretentious chap- 
ters were written as Bible readings for a monthly 
religious paper, never thinkiog that they would 
be printed in any substantial form Since their 
appearance in the papers they have been printed 
and circulated to quite an extent in tract form,* 
and the reception which has been given them 
has encouraged me to believe that their useful- 
ness may be extended in their present form. 
This, then, is my apology for the appearance of 
this modest volume. 

There is truly need of all the help that can 
be brought to stay the Nia2:ara of worldly- 
mindedness, which so hinders the church in its 
advance movement. 

If these scriptural studies may but help to 
bring Christians up to a higher standard of liv- 
ing, the author will rejoice in the use made of 
them. 

May the Holy Spirit apply the truth, making 
God's word like tbe "fire and the hammer," 
(Jer. 23: 29) bringing Christians to see their in- 
consistencies, and to separate themselves. 

The Author. 

Chicago, Nov, 20, 1891. 

♦All of these chapters are printed separately in tract form, 
and can be purchased from the puhllshers at 10c. per doz., or 
50c. per 100, postpaid. 



INTRODUCTION. 



THE circumstances in whicli young ^ men are ; 
placed with regard to their avocations, and i 
the employment of their leisure, renders it ' 
important, especially in large cities and towns, 
that due recognition should be given to their 
need of opportunities for proper recreation and 
exercise. But it is generally conceded that in 
recent years, the passion for amusement has 
grown to undue proportions, and a license, 
amounting almost to recklessness is too often 
manifested, even by tbe professed followers of 
Christ. 

This betokens moral and spiritual danger. 
The papers contained in this little book raise a 
a well timed note of protest and warning. They 
seek to stem the flood-tide of worldiness that 
sweeps strongly and broadly in our era. 

In my judgment it is just the book to be 
placed in the hands of young men to whom it 
cannot fail to be permanently useful. The sub- 
jects dealt with are those which exercise 
the thoughtful attention of most young men, 
certainly of all Christian young men, and the 
clear, comprehensive, and scriptural treatment 
of them will, I am persuaded, help all honest in- 
•quirers in their search after right conclusions 
upon such subjects. 

I have watched life thoughtfully for nearly 
50 years — especially have I felt a growing inter- 
est in youn^ men. I have ever recognized in 
them vast possibilities for good or evil and the 
supreme importance of the consecration to 
Christ of the mind and heart of fresh young 
manhood. I gratefully welcome, therefore. 



8 INTRODUCTION. 

every effort to help and stimulate them to true 
nobility of character. The great demand of 
the age is for genuine, consistent, consecrated 
young men, not mere sentimentalists, but men 
whose lives shall be a practical commentary 
upon Christ's Sermon on the Mount. This is 
not easy— nay it is only possible through the 
power and grace of Christ. It is hard to breast 
the tide. The forces of evil are too strong for 
human resistence. Christ is the soul's supreme 
necessity. It is in His strength alone that we 
may hope for final victory. But this is certain 
to those who are in vital union with Christ. In 
the crisis moments of life, when, in the secret 
chamber of our own personality, decisive bat- 
tles are fought upon which depend tremendous 
issues, it is the Divine power which Christ gives 
that enables us to overcome and to conquer for 
righteousness and for God. 

I plead with young men to ''be out and out" 

for Christ. To take sides with and for Him. 

To ''stand up for Jesus,'' as His coura2:eous and 

valiant soldiers, everywhere and always, and, 

because I believe this unpretentious little book 

will help strengthen them in breasting the tide 

of compromising worldliness, I commend it 

heartily and unreservedly, and bespeak for its 

circulation the generous co-operation of those 

\ interested in the cause and welfare of young 

. men. Yours truly, 

I London, England. George "Williams 



®}2G\pter One. 

Dancing^ 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



It is good ^either to eat flesf], nor to 
drink wine, qor anytlmig wh[erebLj thy 
brotlqer stumbleth, or is offended, or is 
made weak. — Romans 14:21. 





Dancing. 

^MONG the different amusements offered 
society to-day we think there is none 
that reaches more, or has as great an 
influence as the dance. We believe that it 
may be rightly called the ''queen of amuse- 
ments/' 

We wish to say that in speaking upon this 
subject we desire to deal with it wholly from 
the standpoint of a Christian who has promised 
to take God's word as his rule and guide in all 
matters, regardless of public opinion and per- 
sonal desires. 

We shall spend no time upon the immorali- 
ties of the dance, for we believe that all honest 
persons will agree that there is no amusement 
which has done so much to lower the standard 
of thought, conversation, action and living, as 
the modern dance. 

It leads first to impure thought, second to 
improper conversation, third to immodesty of 
action, and last to immorality of living. A 
chief of police in New York city has said that 
three-fourths of the women and girls that are 
living lives of immorality, have been led from 
the path of virtue through the dance. And yet 
in the face of this testimony, many a Christian 
mother, praying for the soul and life of her 
daughter, sends her to the dancing school that 
she maybe taught manners(?) and graceful- 
ness, and be able to ''appear icelV in society. 
Give to me for my daughter, the careful chris- 
tian culture of home, rather than the manner- 
isms of so-called society life, taught by a danc- 
ing master, who, in many cases, is a licentious 
character. 



12 DANCING. 



As has been said, we desire to treat this 
question wholly from a christian standpoint, 
therefore we will begin by looking at the 
Christian's calling, the position in which he is 
placed by his acceptance of Christ, and what 
his attitude should be before the world. 

If ye were of the world, the world would love his 
own; but because ye are not of thexvorld, but I 
have chosen you out of the world, therefore the 
world hateth you. John 15:19. 
They are not of the world, even as I am not of 
the world. John 17:16. 

For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven 
from whence also we look for the Saviour, the 
liOrd Jesus Christ. 

^Yheref ore come out from among- them, and be 
ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the 
unclean thing; and I will receive you. 2 Cor. 
6:17. 

These verses tell us that we are not of this 
icorld any more than teas Christ. That our citi- 
zenship is in heaven, and for this reason we 
Bhould co7ne out from a/m on g the world's peo- 
ple and live a separated life. 

Andhe not conformed to this world; but be ye 
transformed by the renewing- of your mind, that 
ye may prove what is that g-ood, and acceptable 
and perfect will of God . Rom. 12 :3. 

How many are conformed to this world try- 
ing to walk with one foot in the narroio way, 
and the other in the hroad way; trying to see 
how far fro7n God, and how near to the world 
they can live, and not be lost. Christ says that 
it is impossible for us to serve the world and 
Himself. 

No man can serve tvjo masters; for either he 
will hate the one and love the other; or else he 
will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye 
can 7iot serve God and mammon. Matt. 6:34. 

The modern dance is worldly in its origin, 
influence, tendencies, and results. 

''But," some one says, ''the Bible sanctions 
dancing, and says there is a time to dance." 



Dancing. 13 



The dancing of the Bible is as different from 
the dance of to-day, as light is different from 
darkness, good is different from bad, or heaven 
is different from hell. The dancing of the 
Bible, as some one has said, was always 

.1st, ''A religious act both of true and idol 
worship/' 

2nd, 'It was practiced exclusively on joyful 
occasions, such as national feasts and great 
victories.''^ 

3d, *lt was performed usually by maidens in 
the day time, in open air, in highways, fields, or 
groves/' 

What a difference between this dance, and 
the dance of to-day which is shared in by the 
good, bad, and indifferent, of both sexes! A 
young lady of spotless character in the fond 
embrace of a man whose life and record is so 
black that if she knew it, she would not be 
seen on the street with him, or allow herself to 
be left alone with him in her own parlor. This 
recreation, so called, but which in reality is 
dissipation, is enjoyed in closely-heated rooms, 
with poor ventilation, and at an hour when the 
body ought to be at rest. 

4th, **There are no instances of dancing found 
in the Bible, in which both sexes united in the 
exercise, either as an act of worship or amuse- 
ment/' 

5th, *'Men who perverted the dance from a 
sacred use to purposes of amusement, were 
called infamous." 

6th, *'There is no record in scripture of danc- 
ing as a social amusement, except of the vain 
fellows devoid of sJiame; of the irreligious families 
described by Job, which produced increased 
impiety, and ended in destruction; and that 
of Herodias, which terminated in the rash vow 
of Herod, and the murder of John the Baptist. 
The pet verse quoted from the Bible in de- 



14 DANCING. 



fense of dancing, is Eccl. 3:4. "There is a 
time to mourn and a time to dance/' "Since 
the Jewish people knew nothing of dancing 
except as a religious ceremony or an expressio7i 
of gratitude and i^rciise, this text is a declaration 
of the fact that the providences of God some- 
times demand mourning, and sometimes glad- 
ness and praise." 

Now that we have seen that the Christian is 
Q^WediOutof this world and is no more of it 
than Christ was of it; and more, that the pop- 
ular dance of to day is worldly in its origin, 
influence, tendency, and end, we ask, 

"Ought the Christian to engage in it?" No! 
is the immediate answer of the leading spiritual 
workers of all the denominations including the 
Bishops of the Episcopalian and Roman Cath- 
olic churches. For their testimonies see "May 
Christians dance,'' by Rev. James H. Brookes, 
D. D., a most complete book upon this subject, 
and costing but 25c. 

If Christians dance, they are yoking them- 
selves up with unbelievers, and God does not 
sanction this. 

Be, ye not unequally yo'ked together with unbe- 
lievers: for what f ellowhip hath righteousness 
with unrighteousness? and what communion 
hath hght with darkness? and what concord bath 
Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that 
helieveth, with an infidel? 2 Cor. 6:14, 15. 

If Christians dance, they are not only being 
unequally yoked with unbelievers, but they 
are being led to friendship with the world, 
against which we are warned. 

Know ye not that the friendship of the world is 
enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be 
a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. 
Jas. 4. -4. 

This does not mean that we are to be un- 
friendly toward the unconverted— far from it. 



DANCING. 15 



because we can never win them to Christ unless 
we show them Christ's love through us; but 
we are not to enter into associations with them 
in sharinfif a worldly life and giving them en- 
couragement in doing those things contrary to 
the will of God. How c ould a wife enter into 
social relations with a circle of society that 
perfectly ignored her husband, never recog- 
nizing him upon the street, unwilling to accept 
him into their company, never saying anything 
in his favour, but rather against him, and go- 
ing so far as to make profane and insulting re- 
marks in regard to him in the presence of the 
wife? She could never make them her friends, 
but she might treat them kindly and attempt 
to win them to her husband, whom they may 
have wrongly judged and treated. How can 
Christians, the bride of Christ, enter into 
friendship with the world which is spurning 
her bridegroom and insulting Him in her face! 
Shall she laugh with them and in their fond 
embrace whirl on in friendship? God forbid. 
Again, if Christians dance, they are not only 
going to be led to form worldly friendships 
but to love the world in an unholy manner. 

Love not the world, neither the things that are in 
the world. If any man love the world, the love of 
the Father is not in him, 1 John 2;15. 

Again, dancing will lead to the feeding of 
the old nature, the flesh, and we are exhorted 
not to do this. 

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make 
not provision for the fleshy to fulfil the lusts 
thereof. Rom. 13:14. 

But some ask, what harm is there in my hav- 
ing a little dance, especially with those I know 
and in a private way, shutting out bad com- 
pany, and keeping good hours? This is al- 
ways the question to which this subject leads. 
Why does not the Christian ask, after seeing 



l6 DANCING. 



that he is called out of the world, with a separa- 
tion equal to that of Christ's, and when he sees 
that his Lord and-Master has exhorted him not 
to make friends with, and love the world and 
so make provision for the flesh, 

**What good will it do me to dance?" Shall 
I be stronger spiritually, and be better fitted 
for life and its work?" You have heard of the 
lady who advertised for a coachman. Three 
men applied for the position, and to these she 
put this question. 'If we were to go out for a 
drive, how near would you dare drive to the 
edge of the cliff, and feel no danger?" The 
first said ''one yard,'' the second, ''one foot,'' 
but the third said, ''I would not care to drive 
any nearer than was necessary,'' The lady 
took the man giving the last answer. 

Let us say, when considering this amuse- 
ment that has slain its hundreds of thousands, 
notHownear can I go to it and there be no 
danger? but, I will not go 'any nearer than is 
necessary.^' The question has been asked 
*'What harm is there in a parlor dance?" In 
closing, let us answer it. 

A SUPPOSED CASE. 

I will suppose I am invited with a number 
of christian young people, to the residence of 
a friend for a pleasant time. During the even- 
ing some one sits at the piano and begins play- 
ing some of the popular airs of the day. At 
once one suggests a dance, a square dance (that 
is old-fashioned now you know, and not con- 
sidered as bad as the waltz or German.) 
A set is quickly formed. I am sitting with a 
young lady noted for her consistent life and 
faithful sermce. We are talking pleasantly 
when I am solicited to help form the set. ,The 
young lady knowing nothing of the dance ex- 
cuses me and the dance begins. At once the 



DANCING. 17 



party in the other room begin forming a set 
and the young lady with whom I was talking is 
asked to join it. Not knowing how to dance 
she asks to be excused; but she is urged and 
assured that she can easily learn, and will en- 
joy it. She yields reluctantly, her conscience 
smiting her. She asks herself the question, 
''Ought I to danceV and immediately the devil 
says, "Mr. Sayles is dancing and he is a Chris- 
tian; if he dances you can/' and so the young 
lady is urged on against the voice of her con- 
science by my example. She enjoys it, is fasci- 
nated by it, in fact is carried away by its fasci- 
nation. Soon she is seen often at the dance, 
and through the friendships formed at these, is 
led to neglect her christian duties. She is not 
seen at the prayer meeting, she gives up her 
class at Sunday school, and goes the way of 
the world. Seeing her peril, I go to her and 
remonstrate with her, and tell her it is not 
right What does she say? She turns upon 
me and ''strikes me with my own stick.'' She says, 
**Mr. Sayles, you set me the example. I was led 
to dance because you did. I thought, if you 
danced I could. 1 began through your example, 
and could not stop after once beginning. You 
have no special fondness for it, and it does not 
hurt you. Butl have been " swept off of my fee f 
Our supposed case pictures what has taken 
place again and again. A young Christian led 
astray through the example of an older one, 
and when it was thought that ''no harm'' could 
come through the latter's example. 

It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, 
nor anything whereby thy brother stumbUth, or 
is off ended f or is made weak, Rom. 14 :31. 

The anything of this verse includes dancing, 
I am sure. How many are stumbling and fall- 
ing over the example of the Christian in th^ 
parlor. 



Is Dancing Consistent? 

Christians are to be unlike the world, and 
distinguishable from it. This idea of separate- 
ness runs through all the warp and woof of 
Scripture. And it clearly does not imply a sep- 
aration from the grossly evil of the world. This 
is specitically aod positively commanded. 
Christians > re pledged and sworn to obedience 
from their ver}^ profession, The separation in- 
V Ived in non-conformity is from worldliness — 
fr.jm the worldly s-irit. It is a demand that 
the whole tone and bent and current Fnd spirit 
of I he Christian life sball be different from that 
of the worldly life— so different that it shall ba 
manifest t > the loorld that the people of God are 
pilgrims and strangers on the earth; that they 
are walking with God; that they are a peculiar 
people, called out of the world while still re- 
maining in it — God's witnesses, living epistles, 
thesiltof the earth, distinctive, cbosen, set 
apart, recognizable everywhere as having been 
with Jesus, and as holy in all manner of conver- 
sation.- i?6^. Herrick Johnson, D.B. 



l^he theatre 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



Blessed is the iT[an that walketh not in 
\\\e counsel of the ur[godly, nor standeth 
iq the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the 
seat of the scornful. — Psalm i:i. 




The Theatre, 

^r seems strange that any intelligent per- 
son with a desire to see purity in the 
lives of men and women, can ask 
the question, **What wrong is there in my 
going to the theatre?" when it is acknowl- 
edged to be that which leads as many into 
lives of immorality as any known agency 
for sin. unless it be the dance. How can 
any Christian uphold, encourage, and at- 
tend the theatre, when it is frowned upon and 
condemned by lor iters of plays, by actors and 
actresses, as well as b}" those that icitness them. 
Macready, a man known throughout the world 
in theatrical circles, wrote, as he retired 
from the stage, ^'None of my children, with my 
consent, under any pretense, 

SHALL EVER ENTER THE THEATRE, 

nor shall they have any visiting connection 
with play actors or actresses. 

Hannah Moore wrote that the judgment 
forced upon her by her observations of the 
theatre was, that ''the fruits of the spirit and 
the fruits of the stage perhaps exhibit as 
pointed a contrast as the human imagination 
can conceive/' 

Surely after these testimonies we may well 
give heed to the scriptural exhortation: 

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go 
not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not 
by it, turn from it and pass away. Prov. 4:14-15 

A Christian ought not to attend the theatre 
because. 

1st. It will lead him into bad company. Its 
situation is bad. Find a theatre and near by. 



22 THE THEATRE. 

generally in the same bnilding, you will find 
the place for wine, woman, and wickedness. 
This is true regarding all theatres, more or 
less, especially in our large towns and cities. 
In fact, theatrical men have proven to their 
own satisfaction that they can not carry on 
their business without these adjuncts of evil. 

The theatre leads into bad company because 
the performers are licentious as a class. No 
doubt there are those who endeavor to live a 
pure life, but they are few and far between. 
Dr. Johnson has well asked the question, 
*'How can they mingle together, as they do, 
men and women, and make public exhibitions 
of themselves as they do, in such circum- 
stances, with such surroundings, with such 
speech as must 

OFTEI?^ BE ON THEIR LIPS 

to play the plays that are written, in such po- 
sitions as they must sometimes take, affecting 
such sentiment and passions — how can they do 
this without moral contamination?'' 

The theatre is sometimes spoken of as a 
^'school of morals." If the theatrical presen- 
tation of the play affects the actors as it does, 
can we expect a much better effect upon the 
audience? This leads me to say further that 
the theatre leads into bad company because the 
audience is very largely made up of 

A BAD CLASS. 

We doubt not there are many moral and 
Christian people that attend the theatre for one 
reason or another, but the larger per cent, by 
far, are loose in morals. There you find the 
man who has lost all love for his home, the 
careless, the profane, the spendthrift, the 
drunkard, and the lowest prostitute of the 
street. They are found in all parts of the 
house: they crowd the gallery and together 



THE THEATRE. 



23 



shout aloud in the applause greeting that which 
caricatures religion, sneers at virtue, or hints 
at indecency. 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever thlng-s are true, 
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things 
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever 
things are of good i^eport; if there be any virtue, 
and if there be any praise, thinU on these things. 
Phil. 4:8. 

Stop a moment, my Christian friend, and ask 
yourself: *'Is there anything true and honest 
about the theatre?" As a rule the plays are a 
c?^W^6>^^e5^ representation of life, and the worse 
side is that which most of our play houses set 
forth. The whole play from beginning to end 
is unreal. Is there anything pure or of good 
report in the theatre? 

Even the plays of Shakespeare, which are 
considered the best, have had to be trimmed 
and pruned down to make them decent; and 
then, where is one that has not its vile charac- 
ter, its drunkard, its profane swearer, its prof- 
ligate, robber or assassin? And as for the av- 
erage plays, they are notorious for shameless 
indecency, and it is a noticeable fact that the 
caste is falling lower and lower. It is true, as 
Dr. Johnson has said: "Its exhibition of 
woman was never so shameful, and its appeals 
to lust were never so frequent and vile." And 
as another has said, "The virtue exemplified in 
the favorite plays tramples with contempt on 
all the commandments, especially the tliirdy 
fifth, and seventh, upon the clever transgression 
of which, especially the last named, depend the 
charms of 

THE MOST CAPTIVATING PLAYS. 

Take for example the popular play that has 
had such a run, "Camille." What is it? In 
the words of one better able to judge than I, 
* 'Camilla is an elegant, fascinating prostitute. 



24 THE THEATRE. 

making her audience sympathize with her 
through all her sin— yes, pity, love and adore 
her.'' ^ Is there a good report coming to us from 
the theatres? Did you ever hear of an im- 
moral man or woman being made moral? Did 
you ever hear of an unconverted man becom- 
ing a Christian? What is the report that comes 
to our ears regarding the theatre? Here it is: 
"The stage is outrasreously profane, unblush- 
ingly indecent and terribly immoraV 

For a g-ood tree bring-eth not forth corrupt 
fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth 
good fruit. Luke 6 :-io. 

As the theatre is a corrupted institution, 
therefore you need not look for good fruit, or 
good report coming from it. 

The theatre has incurred the disapproval, 
yes, the condemnation of the good and the 
wise of all ages. At its first appearance 500 
years before Christ, it received the censure of 
the virtuous — Jew, Pagan, and Christian spoke 
pgainst it. 

Rollin affirms the theatre to have been the 
chief cause of the decadence of Greece. The 
Emperor of Rome, Augustus, was urged by 
Ovid to suppress it for the sake of national 
safety. The early Christians in avowing their 
loyalty to the Caesars, pledged themselves as 
ready to appear in their service in any place 
but the heatlun temples and the theatres. 

If there was danger when the theatres were 
carried on in a simple way. what must be their 
influence now when facilities to make wicked- 
ness attractive are multiplied tenfold I 

After thinking on the effects of the bad com- 
pany found in and about the theatre, we can 
surely say with David, 

Blessed is the man that icalketh not in the coun- 
sel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of 
sinners, nor siUeth in the seat of the sconifuJU 
Psa. i:L 



THE THEATRE. 2^ 

2nd. The theater weakens our moral and 
spiritual life. 

One of the avenues through which sin enters 
the soul, is the eye. 

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, 
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is 
not of the Father, but is of the world. 1 John 
3:16. 

Throu2jh the lusting of the eyes, men and 
women have lost the priceless jewel, modesty. 

The people of our so-called ''best society," 
and Christian people, many that have been 
looked upon as active workers, sit now and 
gaze upon scenes in our theatres, without a 
blush, that twenty-five years ago would not 
have been countenanced. When the Black 
Crook was first given to the public, only men 
attended it; but now many who call themselves 
ladies, attend, and blush no more than the men. 

Yes! the moral and spiritual life of many 
a Christian has been weakened by the eyes 
gazing upon the scenes of the theatre. 

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out and 
cast it from rhee: it is better for thee to enter 
into life with one eye, rather than, having two 
eyes, to be cast into hell fire. Matt. 18:9. 

If we do not pluck out an offending eye, the 
least we can do is to keep aioay from the places 
where, through the use of our eyes, our souls 
suffer. 

Read David's resolution. He could well 
make this after having fallen, through looking 
upon a nude woman. 

I will set no wicked thing before my eye. Psa. 
10:3. 

The Christian, through attendance upon the 
play house, creates a relish for worldly things, 
and so spiritual things become distasteful. 

No man also having drunk old wine, straightway 
desireth the new^ for he saith the old is better. 
Luke 5:39. 



26 THE THEATRE. 

Wine in Scripture is typical of joy. Old wine 
of the joy or pleasure of the old or carnal na- 
ture. New wine of the joy or pleasure of the 
new nature. This verse says after we have 
been satisfying the old natures we will not 
straightway desire the new. How true this is, 
that after we have been attending the theatre, 
we are not very anxious to go to the prayer 
meeting. 

3d. Attendance upon the theatre causes the 
Christian to set a bad example; and how little 
we realize the destructive power of this. How 
many of our young people are 

LED TO STUMBLE AND FALL 

over the inconsistent example of an older 
Christian. Are you, my reader, a professed 
follower of Christ, and yet one that frequents 
the theatre? I fancy I hear some one say, "I 
am a Christian, and agree with you in regard 
to the evil effects of an average theatre. I 
never attend them, but occasionally I go to 
hear a first-class play, when some actor like 
Booth, Irving, or McCullough, comes along, 
and I can not see any harm in going to a play 
given by such a man. In fact, I go away feel- 
ing determined to make more of myself.'' Just 
so, the genius of the man moves you and stim- 
ulates you along some line of thought, but you 
are not moved any more than 3^ou have been 
by some lecturer or preacher. The actor, if 
he had stood upon the platform, without the 
trappings of the stage, would have electrified 
you in the same way. 

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, 

but the end thereof are the ways of deaths Prov. 

14:12. 

Woe unto them that call evil good, . • . . that 

put darkness for light, , . , that put bitter 

for sweet. Isa. 5:20. 

Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, 

and prudent in their own sight, Prov. 5 :20-21. 



THE THEATRE. 27 

The point is here my friend. You discrimi- 
nate carefully and go ordy to what you call a 
moral show, but you forget that in this you 
are countenancing, and helping to support, an 
institution, that tears down the moral and spir- 
itual welfare of our countr}^ a thousand times 
faster than the church can build it up; and 
you are also setting the example of theatre-going 
to some who can not and icill not discriminate 
as you do. 

4th. Last 1 wish to say that your attendance 
upon the theatre, not onh^ leads you into bad 
company, hurts your moral and spiritual life* 
and sets a bad example, but it 

HURTS YOUR IXFLUEXCE. 

To illustrate: Some time ago a gentleman 
teaching a large class of young men in a C'hi- 
cago Sunday school, desired to attend a the- 
atre for the purpose of seeing a celebrated ac- 
tor. He was not a theatre-goer, and thought 
that no harm would come from it. 

He had no sooner taken his seat, however, 
than he saw in the opposite gallery some of 
the members of his class. They also saw him 
and began commenting on the fact that their 
teacher was at the theatre. They thought it 
inconsistent in him, lost their interest in the 
class, and he lost his influence over the voung 
men. That teacher tied his hands by this one 
act, so that he could not speak out against the 
gross sius of the theatre. We know that there 
are many other things a Christian may do that 
will as surely tie his hands, but two wrongs 
will not make a right. If going occasionally to 
a theatre may cause some one to stumble or 
fall, I pray you give it up for Chris fs sake. 



The Effects of the Theatre. 

Every popular aniusement whicli bids for the 
Support of God's people must submit to this 
test, — Wherever a Christian cannot take Christ 
and a clean conscience with him, he has no 
right to go. 

The theatre, in these days, asks for the suf- 
frage and support of church members. Bat its 
advocates always present to us, in argument, 
an ideal play-house, whose actors are virtuous 
people, whose dramas conform to Christian 
morality, and which r gi(i\y excludes every kind 
of sensual temptation. S ich a puritanic theatre 
would b entitled, at least, to respectful tre t- 
ment from the Church, But every person of 
common sense knows that the actual average 
theatre is no more like this ideal play-house than 
the average Pope is like St. Peter, or the aver- 
age politician like Abraham Lincoln. A puri- 
tanic theatre would become bankrupt in a 
twelve-month. The great mass of those who 
frequent the play house go there for f trong pas- 
sionate excitements. The7goforthe very ob- 
ject V hich makes it dangerous to a servant of 
Jesus Christ. I do not affirm that every popu- 
lar play is immoral, and every attendant is on 
M scent for sensualities. But the th atre is a 
concrete ins itution, it must be judged in the 
gross and to a tremendous extent it is only a 
gilded nastiness. It unsexes womanhood by 
putting her publicly in male attire — too often in 
almo tno attire at all. — Bev. Theo. Guyler, D.B. 



©l^&pter Tierce. 

UJard Plaging 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



Aqd \\e that se?it n\Q is witf] n\e] the 
Father hath not left iT[e aloqe; for I do 
always those things that please hwt, — 
John 8:2g. 




Card Playing. 

WJi^HE question is often asked, *ls it right 
^IIM ^^ P^^y cards?" and the cards referred to 
^^iM^ are those with c]ubs,spades,etc., on their 
face. We believe as a Christian that it is 
wrong. It would be difficult to make an argu- 
ment against them pe?' se, and to many it seems 
hard to denounce the Euchre deck and JOt tte 
cards used in the games called "Authors" and 
''Logomachy;" but the discrimination between 
them must be, as with the dance, on account 
of their 

PECULIAR FASCINATION, 

and liability to abuse, either in gambling or by 
a waste of time. 

First, we would observe that card playing is 
a questionable amusement. After such testimo- 
nials as "Cards are the tools of the gambler," 
and "the handling of card* is Si prelude to gamb- 
ling,'' and in face of the fact that many will 
never be able to see a Christian playing cards 
without feeling that he is inconsittent, and 
classing him with the worldly minded, we are 
compelled to say, that, at least, card playing is 

A QUESTIONABLE AMUSEMENT. 

Rev, Theo. L. Cuyler tells us, "An eminent 
clergyman of New York once said in a pub- 
lished discourse, that on coming into the par- 
lor of a prominent and benevolent Christian 
gentleman, on a certain evening, he found him 
sitting at a whist-table with his family. He 
was surprised, but did not feel like censuring 
so good a man, who was supposed to be acting 
conscientiously. The minister did not tell the 
whole story. He failed to tell us that the sons 



32 CARD PLAYING. 

of that whist-playinfi: Christian did not turn out 
well. Many a well-meaning parent has given 
'*an inch" to temptations, and his children 
have been emboldened to "take the ell/' 

And he that sent me is with me: the Father 
hath not left me alone; for I do always those 
things that please him. John 8:29. 
For I have given you an example that ye should 
do as I have done unto you. John 13:15. 

Jesus says that He did akcays those things 
ihsit pleased the Fathe7\ In this He surely has 
left'Us an example. Shall we not endeavor to 
follow it? 

If Christ did always that which pleased the 
Father, He surely never did anything that was 
questionable or that had even an appearance of 
evil in it. Every honest Christian must admit 
that there is an. appearance of evil in card play- 
ing. 

Let us heed the exhortation of the Spirit, 

Abstain from all appearance of evil. I Thess. 
5:22. 

By so doing we shall please the Father. 

Second, Card playirfg is a dangerous amuse- 
ment. 

Card playing for pastime or as an innocent 
amusement, soon becomes a passion; and when 
once fixed, a man will forego home, family, 
business and pleasure, and suffer the loss of all 
for the 

EXCITING SCENES OF THE CARD TABLE. 

That accomplished writer, the laie Dr. Hol- 
land of Springfield, Mass., said: "I have all 
my days had a card-playing community open 
to my observation, and I am yet unable to be- 
lieve that that which is the universal resort of 
the starved soul and intellect, which has never 
in any way linked to itself tender, elevating, 
or beautiful associations, the tendency of which 
is to unduly absorb the attention from more 



CARD PLAYING. 



33 



weighty matters, can recommend itself to the 
favor of Christ's disciples. The presence of 
culture and genius embellish, but 

CAN NEVER DIGNIFY IT. 

"I have this moment, "said Dr. Holland, ''ring- 
ing in my ears the dying injunction cf my 
father's early friend, 'Keep your sou from 
cards. Over them I have murdered time and 
lost heaven." 'Fathers and mothers keep your 
sons from cards in the home circle. What 
must a good angel think of a mother at the 
prayer meeting asking prayer for the conver- 
sion of her son whom she allows to remain at 
home playing cards for pastime? But some 
one says, I would rather my son would learn to 
play cards at home than go away into bad com- 
pany and learn. It will be better if he does 
not learn at all. If he learns to play at home, 
it will often be a temptation for him to play 
when thrown among strangers whose influ- 
ence will be anything but good for him. 

If your son becomes an expert in the hand- 
ling of cards at home, there will be a great 
temptation for him to go outside and gamble. 

Tne single step from playing for sport to 
playing for money has been very greatly short- 
ened by the 

PROGRESSIVE EUCHRE PARTIES. 

These parties in many cases are nothing less 
than gambling parties, because the "favors" 
used have failed to stimulate the game suffi- 
ciently, so that the quarters, halves and dollars 
are now put up, and it is true, that in a pro- 
gressive way, many of our young men are be- 
coming gamblers. 

Many a parent has taught his son to play 
cards; that son has become a gambler; and 
when expostulated with by the parent, the son 
has said, ''Father, mother, you taught me to 



34 CARD PLAYING. 



play cards, my first lesson in gambling I re- 
ceived at your hands/' 

Imagine the grief taking possession of a 
mother's heart, as she hears this 

TESTIMONY FROM HER SON. 

For the good you can, or desire to do for your 
son, if he will play cards, he better learn e\^Q- 
wheve ihsiufr 0711 you at home. "A game that 
is dangerous anywhere is not safe at home.' 

A teacher was pleading with his pupils 
against gambling, when one of them asked, 
''Do you play cards?" He admitted he did. 
It was useless for him to urge that he never 
played for money. In his scholars' eyes 
cards and gambling were inseparably con- 
nected. He saw that he had lost his influ- 
ence with them, and he felt it deeply. When 
he went home he threw his pack of cards into 
the fire and has never played since. 

All things are lawful for me, but all things are 
not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but 
all things edify not. 1 Cor. 10 :23. 

While there was no law against the Sunday 
school teacher referred to, playing cards, he 
saw that it was not expedient, and caused the 
boys in his class to stumble, instead of being 
edified. 

Do all things without murraurings and disput- 
Ings; that ye may be blameless .... In the 
midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among 
whom sh ine ye as lights in the world. Phil. 2:15. 
(See marginal reading. 

Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever 
ye dO; do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor. 10:31. 

Can a Christian play cards with any degree 
of assurance, or certainty that he is going to 
glorify God by so doing, when the amusement 
is questionable, dangerous, and inseparably asso- 
ciated with all that is evil? 

This leads me to say further that card-play- 



CARD PLAYING. 



35 



ing is a destructive amusement. How many a 
Christian has lost his interest in spiritual things 
by falling in with a card-playing circle. Our 
progressive euchre parties have choked the 
growth of the seed of truth in many a Chris- 
tian's soul. We are told in Luke 8:14, that the 
^A(?r7i5 springing up with the seed sown by the 
sower, represent the cares, riches, and 

PLEASURES OF THIS WORLD. 

How the thorn of card-playing has choked 
out the truth and hindered the growth of 
many. You seldom find our card-playing 
Christians interested in working for the 
souls of others. They may in some cases 
keep up a religious life, attend prayer 
meetings and services on the Lord's day. They 
may go so far as to teach in the Sunday school, 
but the one that does this will generally be 
found among those who are spoken of as, 
''lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. 
Having a form of godliness but denyiug the 
power thereof.'* 1 Tim. 3:4,5. 

More. The cards have not only done de- 
structive work for the Christian, but they have 
done a far more destructive work for many of 
our young men, morally. 

Take the testimonies of those in our peniten- 
tiaries, and almost to a man they will testify 
that card-playing threw them into bad com- 
pany, led them into sin, and was one of the 
causes of their downfall. A prisoner in a jail 
in Michigan wrote a letter published in the 
Temperance Banner in which he gives a motto 
for our young men beginning thus: *'Let cards 
and liquor alone and you will never be behind 
the grater.'* 

In a railroad train sat four men playing cards. 
One was a Judge and two of the others were 
lawyers. Near them sat a poor mother; a 



3^ CARD PLAYING. 



widow in black. The sight of the men at their 
game made her nervous. She kept quiet as 
long as she could, but finally rising, came to 
them, and addressing the Judge, asked, *'Do 
you know me?'' **No, Madam, I do not,"" said 
he. *'Weir/' said the mother, **You sentenced 
my son to States Prison for life.'' Turning to 
one of the lawyers she said, *'And you, sir, 
plead against him. He was all I had. He 
worked hard on the farm, was a good boy, and 
took care of me until he began to play cards, 
when he took to gambling and was lost," How 
many a mother can give just such a tale of de- 
struction brought to her boy through cards. 

How can Christians encourage the game 
when these results are constantly seen. There 
is a large number of our Christian people who 
will not take a decided stand against this 
amusement which is dragging so many down, 
and by this attitude they are wounding theii 
brethren, and in this, are sinning against their 
Lord and Master. 

But when ye sin so against the brethren, and 
wound their conscience, ye sin against Christ. 
1 Cor. 8:13. 

In your game you *'cut your cards.'' Cut 
them, my fnend, forever. Save yourself and 
others. 

Can a man take fire into his bosom and his 
clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals 
and his feet not be burned? Prov. 6: 27-28. 

If men can take fire into their bosoms and 

their clothes and not be burned, if they can 

walk on hot coals and not suffer, then can men 

mix freely with the world and not be contamin- 

^ ated. 

A man can not tarry long in a flour mill with- 
out having the fine flour dust settle on his 
clothes and show; neither can one linger at the 



CARD PLATING. 8t 

card table long without having the bad effects 
seen in his life. 

How can Christians call the dance, the theatre., 
and the cards "harmless amusements," when 
these have slain thousands of souls ? 

If it but risks the eternal welfare of one single 
soul, aod there is some doubt in your mind as to 
whether or no you better engage in the amuse- 
ment, will you not, in the language of another, 
**Give God the benefit of the doubt?" God help 
you to say yes. 



The Lawfulness of Cards. 

In regard to the lawfulness of certain pursuits, 
pleasures and amusements, it is impossible to 
lay down any fixed and general rule, but we 
may confidentially say that whatever is found 
to unfit you for religious duties, or to interfere 
with the performanc3 of them, whatever dissi- 
pates your mind or cools the fervor of 3 our de- 
votions, whatever indisposes you to read your 
Biblfsor to engage in prayer, wherever the 
thought of a bleediDg Savior or a holy God, of 
the hour of death, or of the day of judgmen', 
falls like a cold shadow on your enjoyment, the 
pleasures which you cannot thank God for, on 
which you cannot ask His blessing, whose recol- 
lections will hauDt a dying bed, and pi ant sharp 
thorns in its uneasy pillow; these are not for 
you. These eschew; "in these be not conformed 
to the wor'd, but transformed by the renewiog 
of your minds — ''Touch not, taste not, handle 
not." iN'ever g ) where you cannot ask God to 
go with 3^ou; never be found where you would 
not like death to find 3^ou; never i' dulj:e in aay 
pleasure which will not bear the morning's re- 
flection. Keep yourselves unspotted from the 
world; not from its spots only, but even from 
its suspicions. — Dr, Guthrie. 



©hapter poUr.. 

%hc 19.se of 
y^obacco 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



Wlqat! know ye not tl]at your body is 
tke temple of the Holy Ghost vyhlch is in 
you, which ye Iqave of God, and ye are 
not your own? For ye are bought with 
a price; therefore glorify God in your 
body, ar|d iq your spirit, which are God's. 
— First Corinthians d.-iQy 20. 





The Use of Tobacco, 

iHAT is the chief end of man," is one 
of the important questions in the old 
Westminster Catechism; and the an- 
swer which immediately follows the question, 
is, "To glorify God/' 

It truly ous^ht to be the desire of every Chris- 
tian man to glorify the 

GOD WHO HAS CREATED 

him, redeemed, and saved him, and given him 
every good and perfect gift he enjoys. 

There are a great many Christian men who 
are praying daily to be used of God in influ- 
encing men unto a holy and consistent life, 
and thus glorify His name, who are at the same 
time indulging themselves in a habit which 
thousands of our wisest, most consistent and 
respected Christians consider not holy, but 
harmful, 

NOT PURE, BUT POLLUTING; 

a habit which never brings grace with it, but 
often causes disgrace to follow it. 

We refer to the tobacco habit. The Word 
of God we find has been given us, not only for 
doctrine and instruction, but also for reproof 
and correction. 

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and 
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- 
Hon, for instruction iu righteousness. 2" Tim. 
3:16. 

iSow we believe there are many Christian 
men using tobacco, who, if they were to be 
brought to look at the matter from a Scriptu- 
ral standpoint, would find themselves being 
reproved Siud corrected; and in order to be co'fi^ 
sistent, would have to give it up. 



42 THE USE OF TOBACCO. 



1st, The use of tobacco encourages selfish- 
ness. A man who loves his pipe will have his 
tobacco even though his family be denied the 

BARE NECESSITIES OP LIFE. 

A man some time ago with only a dollar and 
seventy-five cents went to market. His family 
was in need of flour and meat. He was in 
need(?) of tobacco. He bought fifty cents worth 
of meat and a dollar and twenty-five cents 
worth of tobacco and returned telling his wife 
that they must ''trust the Lord for flour/' 

Again, a man who loves his ci2:ar will often 
insist on smoking it in the house, and the mem- 
bers of his family are compelled to sit and bear 
his nuisance. 

A smoker entered a stage coach; "Ladies/' 
said he, **I hope my cigar will not be offens- 
ive/" They replied, ''Yes, sir, it will be quite 
offensive/'' He gave a nod and muttered " 'Tis 
so to some,'' and smoked on. These may be 
strong cases, but they show to 

WHAT THE HABIT LEADS. 

My Christian brother, should you not dis- 
courage such selfishness? While you are a 
gentleman yourself, and are thoughtful for oth- 
ers, you are classed with smokers, and are 
found setting the example for some one else who 
may be led into this selfish habit. 

Among the fruits of the spirit in the Chris- 
tian, we find that there should be lom^ long- 
suffering, goodness and temperance. 

And they that are Christ's have cimcif.ed the flesh 
with the affections and lusts. Gal. 5:24. 

My brother, if you have not crucified your 
affection for tobacco, do so, because it is a self- 
ish hahit. 

2nd, The use of tobacco is a slavish habit. 
It has gotten such a hold upon man that many 
say, 'Tt seems to me I can not live without it" 



THE USE OF TOBACCO. 43 

And some have said, "I would give worlds if 
I could break from this tyrant.*' It is a match 
for alcohol and opium. *'Sir/* said one to a 
friend, **Do you use tobacco?" *'No, sir," was 
the reply; ''tobacco uses me." He confessed he 
was a slave to the weed. Ought a Christian to 
be a slave to a habit that no angel would in- 
dulge in? There is a true story told of a 
preacher in the West who was a good man, but 
much given to chewiug tobacco. 

One time he was riding on horseback through 
the country when there came up a shower. 
Riding up to a cabin he hitched his horse and 
knocked at the door. A sharp looking old 
lady answered the summons. The preacher 
asked for shelter. 

"1 don't take in strangers — I don't know 
you." replied the old lady suspiciously. But 
you know that the Bible says," said the 
preacher, "Be not forgetful to entertain strang- 
ers, for thereby some have 

ENTERTAINED ANGELS UNAWARES." 

"You needn't quote Bible," said the old 
lady quickly, **no angel would come down 
from heaven with a quid of tobacco in his 
mouth, as you have," and shut the door in his 
face. 

A slave to the use of tobacco is more quickly 
taken for a slave of the devil, than a servant of 
the Lord. 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves 
servants to obey, Ms servants ye are to whom ye 
obey. Rom. 6:16. 

No doubt the devil wants you to use tobacco, 
because it produces "filthiness of the flesh,'' and 
*^s one of the most filthy habits to which a man 
<:ix,a give himself. 

The word of God is full of exhortations to 
holiness, and purity of life and practice. 



44 THE USE OF TOBACCO. 

But fornication and all uncleanness, or covet 
ousness, let it not be once named among- you, as 
becometh saints; neither fiUhiness. Eph. 5:3,4. 

Notice, my brother, it says lay aside all Pith- 
iness and uncleanness. You cannot give this 
verse a ''private interpretation/' and claim that 
it refers to some licentious practice; all that 
pollutes the body should be put away. 

Remember your body is the temple of God. 

What ! know ye not that your body is the temple 
of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye 
have of God, and ye are not your own? 
For ye are bought with a price: therefore g-lorify 
God in your body, and in your spirit, which are 
God's. 1 Cor. 6:19,20. 

Are you going to pollute this house of clay 
by satisfying the ''old nature'' which dwells 
there, when the Lord has 

PLACED THERE A "NEW NATURE" 

which is holy, to be the master, and when the 
Holy spirit Himself has taken up His abode 
in you"t Have you any right to sin against the 
temple any more than against the Great Occu- 
pant of the temple? 

God help us to say with the beloved Paul, as 
we think on the promises given us in the Word, 

Having- therefore these promises, dearly beloved, 
let us cleanse ourselves from AIAj filthiness of the 
fiesh and the spirit, perfecting holiness in the 
fear of the Lord. 3 Cor. 7 :1, 

Those who have done this, look back upon 
their old life with deep regret, and are led to 
say now with the apostle, 

For we ourselves were sometime foolish, disobe- 
dient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, 
Titus 3:3. 

Every devotee of the weed will confess that 
the habit is a "foolish pleasure." 

3rd. The tobacco habit is an expensive habit, 
and its cost is an unnecessary expense. Many a 
Christian 



THE USE OF TOBACCO. 45 

GIVES MORE FOR HIS TOBACCO, 

than for the cause of his Lord and Master. 
\ ou are a steward of the Lora, what are you 
doing with His goods put into your hands to 
use? It is a sin for you to use His means in 
providing for the cravings of an appetite 
which is unclean, filthy, yes abominable in the 
sight of God. In doing this you are making a 
provision for the tiesh, and you are exhorted 
not to do this. 

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make 
not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts 
thereof Rom. 13:14. 

The old nature you are to count as dead, be- 
cause in the acceptance of Christ you accept 
His death. 

Paul claimed to haye died in Christ. He 
says, Gal. 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ 
(R. v.). And because all of us who have ac- 
cepted Christ are dead, judicially, in Him, he 
has exhorted us to reckon, or, 

COUNT OURSELVES DEAD 

to sin morally. Rom. 6:11. Do not spend 
your Lord's money in feeding an old nature 
which you are to look upon and treat as dead. 

4th. The tobacco habit hurts the influence 
of a Christian worker, and this is the most im- 
portant reason why the Christian should give 
it up. 

We all see, and know from the best authori- 
ties, that fearful results come from the use of 
tobacco. The body, which, as we have notedjis 
the temple of God, and which should be kept 
in the best of trim and working order, is af- 
fected. Dr. Shaw has specified 

EIGHTY OR MORE DISEASES 

traced to this as a cause. 



46 THE USE OF TOBACCO. 

The mind which should be kept clear and 
strong so that we may render the very best 
service, is often greatly impaired. It enfeebles 
memory, weakens judgment, and causes idiocy, 
insanity, and paralysis of mind. These result? 
are fearful, but the moral and spiritual results 
are still more terrible. Sometimes we hear a 
Christian say he is willing to give up all for 
Christ, and yet clings to his tobacco idol. This 
may be the most self-sacrificing act of your 
life, my brother, and as some one has said, **the 
criterion to judge whether or not you follow 
Christ in the crucifixion." Give up your to- 
bacco as an example to others. The young 
men see you smoke, or chew, and you confirm 
them in a habit which may 

BLIGHT THEIR WHOLE LIFE. 

The professors of the Ann Arbor University, 
who have had experience with thousands of 
young men, regard the use of tobacco as hav- 
ing a worse effect than the use of liquor, affirm 
ing that, "more young men break down in 
body and mind, and finally go astray as a re- 
sult of smoking than of drinking, while the 
former often leads to the latter.'' Tobacco has 
stood in the way of the conversion of many a 
boy and man. Says a college officer, '*When 
anxious for salvation, my cigars stood in my 
way and delayed my submission to God.'' How 
can you en.courage this habit by setting the ex- 
ample, when men by it are hindered in saving 
their souls? 

Hear what Paul said in regard to a ques- 
tionable matter in his day, viz,, the eating of 
certain meats: 

Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, 
T will eat no fiesh while the world standeth, Jest 
I make my brother to offend. 1 Cor. 8 :13. 

If the apostle was willing to give up anything, 
or do anything for the sake of souls, (and the 



THE USE OF TOBACCO. 47 

8th chapter of 1st Corinthians, especially from 
the 18th to the 23rd verse shows he was) surely, 
where we in this age see so many stumbling 
and being offended at our using tobacco, we 
ought to give it up. In my work I occasionally 
meet a minister of the Gospel who uses the 
weed. Shall I tell you of the 

CRITICISMS I HAVE HEARD 

made concerning his using it? No, 1 will 
not, they are too sad to repeat; but I have 
learned from those who have worked with 
such, and are competent to judge, that these 
men perfectly neutralize their work and 
checkmate themselves in their efforts to meet 
the great end for which they profess to be liv- 
ing, and all because they satisfy the cramngs of 
an appetite of the flesh. How perfectly in- 
compatible with one whose life work is to 
preach self-denial, holiness and sacrifice! 

A leading worker in the State of Illinois, 
who was once a devotee of the cigar, told me 
he was one day going along the street, when 
he saw coming toward him, smoking a cigar, 
one of the little boys of the Sunday school of 
which he was the Superintendent. He thought 
to himself'I must correct the little fellow" 
He walked along, puffing at his cigar, until 
he reached the boy, and then holding his 
cigar behind him he delivered his rebuke, 
gave his advice, and passed on. Some- 
thing seemed to say to him, are you not in- 
consistent to reprove this boy for smoking- 
and yet practice the habit yourself? He an, 
answered the still small voice, *'Yes, and I will 
never be guilty of the same again,'* and away 
went the cigar into the street, and he has never 
smoked since. Be consistent my brother, 
do not tie your Jiands so that you can not re- 
prove sin. 



Shali We Smoke? 

I have a firm conviction from medical opin- 
ions I have read, and from falls I have observed, 
that the habit of smoking is very injurious to 
the bodily health. But this part of the question 
I leave to scientific men. 

My personal experience of smoking began 
and e-^de 1 on the same day. When eight years 
old I smoked a piece of cane which made me 
sick and cured me effectually. I object to 
smoking because — 

1. It is useless and often a sinful waste of 
money. 

2. It is a dirty habit, polluting the air which 
others have to breathe, and infecting unpleas- 
antly the raiment and furniture. 

3. It often makps votaries selfish, insisting 
on gratifying the propensity with little regard 
for the comfort of others. 

4. It often excites the appetite for strong 
drink. Smoking and drinking are sometimes 
accidental, but far more frequently natural, 
companions. 

5. It is an enslaving habit. It increases its 
demands. It imperatively insists on gratifica- 
tion Many smokers cannot do without their 
cigar or pipe, and will resort to various expedi- 
ents, and put themselves and others to great in- 
convenience in order to secure their usual 
luxury. I object to anything which thus en- 
slaves, and which is not absolutely a necessity 
of life. — Bev. Newman Hall, B. B. 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



A good iT[an out of tlqe good treasure 
of his heart bringeth forth that wf]icl] is 
good; and an evil n^an out of the evil 
treasure of his heart briqgeth forth tl^at 
wf]iclq is evil; for of the abundance of the 
heart his mouth speaketh. — Luke 6:4^, 



Social G-ossip. 




IS IT FOR CHRISTIANS? 

^O a great extent Christian character is 
measured by one's conversation. It is 
said that if you want to know what is 
m man's heart, "all you need to do is to ob- 
serve what he talks about." The heart has 
been compared to an engine that drives the 
blood to every part of the body. The heart, 
which represents the will and affection of man, 
is that which sends out from our lives an influ- 
ence for good or for bad. 

A g-ood man out of the good treasure of his heart 
bring-eth forth that which is good; and an evil 
man out of the evil treasure of his heart bring-eth 
torththRt which is evil: for of the ahundanee of 
the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45. 

If our hearts are full of good desires, we shall 

send out a good influence-, but if filled with bad 
desires, there will go out a bad influence. 

Death (or the greatest evil) and life (or the great- 
est good) are in the power of the tongue, Prov. 
18:31. 

Behold we put bits in the horses mouths, that 
they may obey us; and we turn about their 
whole body. 

Behold also the ships, which though they be so 
great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are 
they turned about with a very small helm, whith- 
ersoever the governor listeth. 
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boast- 
eth great things. Behold how great a matter a 
little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a 
world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our 
members, that it defileth the whole body, and 
setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is 
set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and 
of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the 
sea is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. 
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly 
evil, full of deadly poison. J as. 3 :3-8. 



52 SOCIAL GOSSIP. 

How many fires have been started, how many- 
wars begun, through a little word spoken by 
this little member! 

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it 
are the Issues of life. Prov. 4:23. 

Let us heed these words of exhortation given 
us by the wise man, and resolve v;ith David to 
use a bi'idle for the tougue as we do for the 
horse, that we may control it. 

I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not 
with my tongue! I will top my mouth with a 
hridle, while the wicked aie before me. Psa. 39:1. 
Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth 
his soul /rom troubles. Prov, 21:23. 

How true this is! a soul is kept from trouble 
by the mouth and tongue being kept from say- 
ing some little thing: because it is generally a 
little word thoughtlessly spoken that kindles some 
fire of hatred, or starts some tale of scandal. 
One has said that "It is hard telling what a 
trifle means. Everything in nature seems to 
be closely connected with everything else. 
An undue preponderance of one force 

SETS IN MOTION ALL OTHER FORCES. 

The eddying of a few particles of air, may give 
rise to a tornado, a step may start an avalanche, 
a particle of dust may stop a chronometer; a 
prick of a pin may destroy a balloon; a pin, 
bolt, or screw out of place may stop a power- 
ful engine." 

So, a little word thoughtlessly spoken, may 
blast the hopes and prospects of a whole fam- 
ily for life. 

It is said that the heights and recesses of 
Mount Taurus are infested with eagles, who 
love to feed upon the cranes dwelling below. 
The cranes when flying, are prone to make a 
crackling sound, which is 



SOCIAL GOSSIP. 53 

A SIGNAL OF THEIR APPROACH. 

and that arouses the eagles who sprins: upon 
them. The older and more experienced cranes, 
sensible of this besetting weakness or fault, 
and the peril to which it exposes them, take 
care to provide themselves, when venturing 
upon the wing, with a stone large enough to 
fill the cavity of their mouths. They are thus 
prevented from making the sound that an- 
nounces their approach, and by so doing es- 
cape danger. Would it not be well for us 
Christians to take in our hearts that which will 
prevent us from making a noise with our 
mouths at the wrong time? What better can 
we hide in our hearts for this purpose than the 
word of God? 

Thy Word have I hid in mine hearty that I might 

not sin against thee. Psa. 119:11. 

So did David, and so'may we all do. 

How should the Christian talk? 

This is a very important question, and per- 
haps we can help to answer it by noting how 
he should not talk. 

1st. A Christian's conversation should not 
be corrupt 

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of 
your mouth. Epli. 4:29. 

Language unfit for an unbeliever is some- 
times heard falling from the lips of those who 
bear the name of Christ; language used that 
savors more of the bottomless pit than the 
kingdom of heaven. Such ought to pray the 
prayer of David. 

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: Keep 
the door of my lips'. Psa. 141 :3. 

2nd. A Christian's conversation should 7iot 
be foolish. 

Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking^ nor jest- 
ing, which are not convenient. Eph. 5:4. 



54 SOCIAL GC3SIP. 

How much there is said by Chi-istians, that 
had better not be said because of its foolish- 
ness. Children are sometimes corrected for 
their talking, especially when they talk a good 
deal and say nothing, and thej^ have quoted to 
them the old adage, "Children should be 

SEEN AND NOT HEARD. 

The Apostle John in his epistles addresses 
Christians as "children." and some may well 
be termed such, judging from their conversa- 
tion. The Apostle Paul says 

When I was a child, I spake as a child, .... 
but when I became a man I put away childish 
things. 1 Cor. 13:11. 

We think many of our Christians ought to 
let their manhood and womanhood be seen by 
their conversation, remembering that God is 
going to bring us into judgement for this idle, 
senseless, and foolish talking. 

But I say unto you, that every idle ivord that men 
shall speak, they shall give account thereof in 
the day of judg-ment. Matt. 12:36. 

I tell you my friends, some of us will have a 
mighty long string of idle words to account for. 

3rd. A Christian in conversation should 
speak evil of no man. 

To speah evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but 
gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. 
Tit. 3:3. 

It seems as if some people loved to prey upon 
the character and feelings of others. As Dr. 
Talmage says, "They revel in the details of a 
man's ruin." They say "I told you so.'' They 
rush into some store and say, "Have you heard 
the news? just as I expected, our neighbor has 
gone all to pieces." Good for him. That pro- 
fessed Christian woman having heard of the 



SOCIAL GOSSIP. 55 

WRONG DOING OF SOME SISTER 

in the church, instead of hiding the sin with a 
mantle of charity, peddles it along the street. 
She says, "Would you have thought it? I al- 
ways said there was something wrong about 
her. I would not speak to her if I saw her on 
the street. Is it not horrible?'' How often, 
friends, this is what we hear in our stores, on 
the street, and in our homes, and when we 
come to inquire into the matter, to get into the 
facts in the case, it begins in about this way. 
**Why, our hired man says he saw a friend of 
his, whose brother's wife's sister overheard 
something the other evening when passing 
some men on the street, and, 

I GUESS IT MUST BE SO." 

Some one has said, "Every one has a garden 
called Conversation." If the seeds of unkind 
thought, which blossom into weeds of unchris- 
trian remark, are kept out, the garden will be- 
come beautiful; but if allowed to grow they 
will soon destroy its beauty. One of the worst 
of weeds to be found in this garden is the weed 
of "Gossip." We all know the danger of 
catching cold, if, when in a heated condition,we 
sit in a cold draught. How many Christians 
when thoroughly warmed, through listening to 
a stirring sermon, go and sit down in a cold 
draught of worldly conversation, and catch 
a cold that 

ENDS IN A SPIRITUAL DECLINE. 

We ought to be as careful of our spiritual 
health, as of our physical. We have noticed 
that the Christian's conversation should not be 
corrupt, foolish, or idle, and that he should not 
speak evil of any one. 

Let us now note, from the Word, in conclu- 
sion, how the Christian should talk. 



SOCIAL GOSSIP. 



1st. The Christian's conversation should be 

good. 

Who is EL wise man and endued with knowledg-© 
among you? let him show out of a good conver- 
sation his works with meekness of wisdom. 
James 3:13. 

"Kind words," says Pascal, are ^'easily and 
quickly spoken; they neither burn nor blast. 
Though they do not cost much, they accom- 
plish much." There is such a rush of other 
words, neither vain, idle, hasty, spitefal, silly, 
empty, boisterous, nor warlike, that it seems de- 
sirable to give good concersaiion a chance. 

Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak 
slow to wrath. Jas. 1 ;19. 

Many times, if we were only a little slower to 
speak^we are sure good words instead of wrath- 
ful ones would come from our lips. 

2nd. The Christian's conversation should 
be exemplary. 

But be thou an example of the believers, in loordy 
ill conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, 
in purity. 1 Tim. 4:12. 

If we Christians realized more the fact, that 
we are the ''workVs Bible;" that men listen to 
us, and watch us more than they read God's 
Word, we should be more careful how we talk. 

8rd. The Christian should talk about the things 
of the Kingdom. 

Of the Lord Jesus it is written that, this was 
largely his subject for conversation. 

To whom (the disciples) he shewed himself after 
his passion . . . being- seen of them forty 
days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the 
kingdom of God. Acts 1:3. 

If our mind is set on things above, where 
Christ is, our speech will soon show it. How 
many professed Christians will welcome any 
theme for conversation but that of the Chris' 



SOCIAL GOSSIP. 57 

tian life, and, if in a circle, sacred things are 
spoken of, the conversation is hushed, and 
thin.s^s become exceedingly awkward. Why is 
it? Because to talk about it, we must live it\ 
and mauy failing to live as they should, fear 
their conversation will not harmonize with 
their lives. Their hearts are icholly fixed on 
things on the earth, and so they have no relish 
for heavenly subjects. 

4th. The Christian's conversation should be 
loith grace. 

Let your speech be always witli grace, seasoned 
with salt, that ye may know how to answer ev- 
ery man. Col. 4:6. 

Matthew Henry has said. "Our conversation 
need not always he about grace, but it should al- 
ways be ^vrTFi irrace." 

Let us pray David's praver: "Let the words 
of my month and the meditation of my heart, 
be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength 
and my redeemer. Psa. 19:14. 



Idle Words That Men Speak. 

A notable example has just been shown 
among the high places of this nation, of the 
danger of speaking careless words. 

A few simple lines, written in unconscious 
simplicity, by a Foreign Minister at Washing- 
ington, produced astonishing excitement and 
led to withdrawal from his post. When in his 
proverbial kindness of heart this eminent dip- 
lomat wrote his unfortunate letter, he little 
thought of its possible effect, much less of its 
extended career. The words written in secret 
were photographed as an autograph and sped 
in stereotype co;y, literally, from California to 
Maine. 

A fac simile of every line and word and dot, 
of that poor letter, stared the careless writer in 
the face from thousands of newspapers, often 
in highly extravagant form, covering an entire 
sheet, until he must have grown sick at the 
sight. 

They were words penned idly — in an idle 
moment and mood— when the author's wits 
were away wool-gathering. But they mustered 
like an f rmy of recruits from every quarter of 
the land, to proclaim his weakness and folly 
and to cause his speedy overthrow. 

This is a practical sermon in politics. Men 
must learn to weigh well their words. * 'Every 
idle word that men speak, they shall give ac- 
count thereof in the day of judgment."— Selected. 



Christian 

SLeading 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



Seek ye out of tlqe book of the Lo7'i, 
and read; no one of these shjall fail. — 
Isaiah 34:16. 



Christian Reading. 

What, When, and How to Read. 

I^^EADING is an educator; but whether it 
M results in a good or bad education, de- 
SH pends upon lohat we read. 
Our reading greatly influences our lives. 
Walter Scott had created in hira a love for 
story writing, byreadin^: "Percy's Reliques*/' 
and Goethe was started in his career by read- 
ing "The Vicar of Wakefield." 

Till 1 come give attendance to reading*. 1 Tim. 
4:13. 

Since it is our cliitj/ as well as our primlege to 
improve our mind, and since this improvement 
is largely to come through reading, we are nat- 
urally led to ask, 

WHAT SHALL WE READ? 

It is said that "Books, like friends, should be 
few and n'ieU chosen.'' Yet there are many who 
make friends with any book that has a start- 
ling title, regardless of its contents. 

It is sad that so many think if they read 
anything it must be the latest iiox el or some 
*'biood and thunder," ''love sick" or sensa 
tional book. 

Of making many books there is no end; and 
much study (or reading, see margin) is a weari- 
ness of the flesh. Eccl. 12 : 13. 

If Solomon could have said this concerning 
the books of his day, what would he say if 
he had spent all of some Sunday morning 
over a 32-page number of the Chicago Times, 
as many professed Christian people are doing, 
or the whole day over some senseless tale? 



62 CHRISTIAN READING. 

Surely mucli of the reading matter in the so- 
called popular 

NOVELS AND PAPERS OF TO-DAY, 

is enough to make a person tired — yes, very 
weary, as Solomon says, and those that spend 
mucii time over such literature shoio it. 

Such readers imagine themselves in an arti- 
ficial relation to life. They are content to 
view real life through fictitious life. They 
grow discontented, careless, and their lives be- 
come as "common-place as pawns upon a chess- 
board.'' 

The influence of a bad book is as vicious as 
that of an evil companion. Yes, in some re- 
spects, more so, since its influence is felt at all 
times. 

How many of our boys have been led to 
grow restless, and tired of home, through the 
reading of some improbable adventure in a 
* 'Nickel Library'' book, or dime novel. How 
many of our young people have no taste for 
History, Poetry, Biography or Travel, to say 
nothing of Religion, simply because they have 
crowded out any possibility of relish for such 
literature, through the reading only of trash. 

Would that it might be said now, concerning 
those that desire purity, truth and righteousness, 
as it was said concerning the Ephesian Chris- 
tians, 

Many of them . . . broiig-tit their books to- 
gether,:: and burned them before all men. Acts 
19:19. 

It would be a blessing if a bonfire were made 
of many of the books and papers to be found 
in the libraries of our Christian homes. I do 
not believe our parents are careful enough as 
to what their boys and girls are reading. Many 
a mother will allow her son or daughter to 
read books promiscuously, and never take the 



CHRISTIAN READING. 



trouble to look into them to see if they are fit 
to be read. There are plenty of good books 
for the boys and girls. Let us see that they 
have them, and let us burn the bad ones. 

If my reader is one of this class that is stor- 
ing the mind with poison rather than truth, I 
would exhort him to say to these spinners of 
yarns as a wise m.an has said before: "I really 
cannot patronize your wares, and will not fur- 
nish you my head for a foot-ball or my fancy 
for a sieve. Myself plus time, is the capital 
stock with which the good Heavenly Father 
has pitted me against the world, to see if I can 
get a foothold. I cannot afford to be a mere 
spectator. I am a wrestler for the laurels in life's 
Olympian games. — I can make historyl Why 
should I lie in a hammock and read the 

ENDLESS REPETITION OF ROMANCE?" 

In our reading let us select the best Books, 
pamphlets, and tracts upon every subject, are 
within the reach of all at a moderate price. 

If you are a Christian, spend a little in se- 
curing for yourself, and those in your house, 
christian literature. There is not nearly the 
danger of our starving our minds, as our souls. 
There are many Christians that go month after 
month without feeding the soul, and then won- 
der why they do not grow. My friend, if you 
want spiritual and moral food, go to the word of 
Oodfor it. Do as the prophet has exhorted us. 

Seek ye out of the hook of the Lord, and read: 
no one of these shall fail. Isa. 34 :16. 

Mr. Robert Weidensall, the senior secretary 
of the International Committee of the Young' 
Men's Christian Associations, was once being 
entertained in the home of a Christian lady 
who expressed herself as being very anxious to 
grow in grace and in the knowledge of her 
Saviour, and requested him to give her all 



64 CHRISTIAN READING. 

the help he could. At the close of his stay, as 
he was leaving, she asked if he had any sug- 
gestion or advice to give. With the hope of 
impressing upon her an important truth, he told 
her a story that he had been reminded of as he 
had noticed her with her books and papers. 
"Once," said he, "when at my old home in the 
country, I saw a hen vigorously scratching 
in the dooryard for her dinner. As I stood 
watching her, she 

SCRATCHED UP A SILVER QUARTER. 

If she had known the vnhie of the money, 
and could have used it, she could have provided 
herself with that which she was in need of, 
and not been compelled to labor as she was do- 
ing for the small amount she was getting. 
Around and around, back and forth, went the 
quarter, as the hen, ignorant of its worth, 
scratched to get her food. I have often 
thought of this hen, and I was reminded of her 
as I saw you in your library the other day, en- 
deavoring to get food for your soul. You 
came in to read, and your Bible (that which 
would give you the food you needed) lay on 
Harper's Monthly. Instead of using it, you 
pushed it over on to a pile of papers or maga- 
zines, and fed on Harper's. After reading 
awhile you laid it asidj and 

REACHED AGAINf FOR YOUR BIBLE. 

Something else caught your eye and you 
pushed it over onto Harper's, and began reading 
from one of the other periodicals. As the hen 
scratched back and forth the silver quarter 
(that which could furnish for her abundance of 
food) and scratcned and labored hard to find 
in the earth a few seeds, so you pushed back 
and forth your Bible (that which could give 
you the food you really desired) and searched 
and searched among the writings of the men 



CHRISTIAN READING. 65 

of ihis earth for a few seeds of truth that would 
feed you/' The lady saw the point and we 
trust was profited by the truth. 

I would not have people think that we must 
read nothing but the Bible. Let our reading 
be as broad and as varied as our time and eyes 
will allow, but let us not think that we must 
read everything that is thrown into our hands, 
or that some one thinks is good. 

Shall our minds be the receptacle of every- 
thing that an author shall write? Shall we not 
make a distinction between the good and the 
bad, helpful and hurtful? We cannot afford to 
fill our minds with that which will not 
help, even though it does not hurt. Mr. Spur- 
geoa has said, 

* 'THERE IS GOLD IN THE ROCKS 

which fringe the Pass of the Splurgen, gold 
even in the stones which mend the roads, but 
there is too little of it to be worth extracting. 
Alas, how like many books! not so with the 
Scriptures: there one finds much gold; their 
very dust is precious." 

Let us read our Bibles to hnoio God's truth 
and to gather manna for the soul, and, then, 
as we read other books, let it be for information, 
and help in using the truth, that we may illus- 
trate and emphasize the same in word and life. 

The question is often asked, 

WHEN SHALL WE READ? 

When is the best time to read? Most of us 
would say the best time is, ichen you get a 
chance. We would therefore say, snatch the 
moments. No one is so busy but that he can 
find some time if he will. How true it is. 
"Where there is a will, there is a way.'* We 
can read and not neglect duty, or rob ourselves 
of sleep. A few moments each day will give 



66 CHRISTIAN READING. 

US a great deal in the aggregate. Schlieman, 
as a boy, standing in line at the post office 
waiting his turn for the mail, utilized the time 
by studying Greek, from a little pocket gram- 
mar. 

Mary Summerfield, the astronomer, while 
bus}' with her children in the nursery, wrote 
her "Mechanism of the Heavens/' without 
neglecting her duties as a mother. 

The man who uses his fragments of time has 
nearly a month more in the year than the one 
who wastes the precious moments, so it is es- 
timated. We are to make this use of the mo- 
moits a daily concern however, if. we would 
make this gain of time, and we believe that this 
will be but the obeying of the injunction, 

See then that ye walk circumspectly (dllllgently ) 
not as fools, but as wise, releeniiai the timet be- 
cause the days are evil. Eph. 5:15,16. 

We are to redeem these moments daily. We 
read of those who did this, daily searching for 
truth. 

These (the Bereans) were more noble than those 
of Thessalonica, in that they received the word 
with all readiness of mind, and searched the 
Scriptures daily, whether these things were so. 
Acts 17:11. 

HOW SHALL WE READ? 

We need to read with a tico-fold purpose in 
view. First, to feed ourselves, to gather for 
our personal needs, spiritual, moral, and intel- 
lectual; and second, that we may have to give 
to others, and help our fellow-men. 

We do not want to be like the sponge, that 
only takes in, but rather like the fountain, that 
gives as it receives. 

If we do this, we must read loith thought. 
Many read much, but, reading thoughtlessly 
they soon forget. 



CHRISTIAN READING. 67 

It is said of the poet Whittier that he forgets 
much* that he writes. There is an amusing an- 
ecdote tola, of his once listening to an orator, 
who in closing his address gave a beautiful po- 
etical quotation, which the poet applauded 
with a great deal of enthusiasm. A friend 
touched him on the shoulder and asked if he 
knew the author of the closing words of the 
speaker. He said, "No; but they're good;" 
whereupon he was informed that he had been 

APPLAUDING HIS OWN WHITING, 

We had better forget what we write than 
what we read; because, if we send out any- 
thing of worth from our pen, it may be remem- 
bered by others, and be a great blessing to 
many; but if we forget what we read, we will 
be but silent spectators in life's great battle 
of right against wrong, and our speech will be 
but the most dreary and common-place talk. 

A small amount, read thoughtfully, will 
prove more useful than a large amount read in 
a "butterfly-style," alighting on one bush after 
another, but never staying long enough to ex- 
haust the sweetness of any one. 

I will meditate in thy precepts, and have re- 
spect unto thy ways. Fsa. 110:15. 

Oavid said he would meditate on what he 
read, so must we, if we are benefitted by what 
we read. 

David also said, 'Thy word have I hid in 
mint heart." Psa. 119:11. 

If we use what we read, we must hide it in 
our hearts, that is, remember it. With this 
meditation let us p?w/ God to teach us that we 
understand and use aright His truth. A sen- 
tence of prayer offered by David we may all 
offer. 

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold won 
drous things out of thy law. Psa, 119 ;18, 



Testimony of a ''Novel" Writer. 

The special correspondent of the Boston 
Journal of May 11, 1889, writes from New 
York: 

*'I was talking a few days ago with a man, 
who has, perhaps, written more trashy stories 
for the cheap weeklies than any single writer. 
For twenty-seven years he has done nothing 
else. He is now comfortably off from the re^ 
turns which his work has brought him. I asked 
him how he looked back upon his career and 
work, and his answer was interesting: 

** *I count my life almost a failure/ said he. 
'This trash which I have been writing has 
brought me returns upon which I can live com- 
fortably, but look on the other side! I have no 
peace of mind when I think of the havoc I have 
undoubtedly wrought upon young and innocent 
minds. I can point to nothing with any pride 
of authorship. I am ashamed of it all. Even 
my children would hang their heads in shame 
did they know their father was the author of 
this trashy stuff. Do they know it? Bless 
your soul, no! and God forbid they ever discover 
it— at least during my lifetime. You saw my 
eldest daughter at the table. Would I wish 
her, so beautiful and pure a girl, or her sisters 
to know? Oh, no! no, sir! My daily prayer is 
that I may never live to see the flush that will 
kindle on their beautiful cheeks if ever ihey 
learn the truth. How people can read them I 
cannot telL^ If they despised their reading as I 
do their writing, I would be a poor n^an now, I 
^Vi^^osQ,*"— Selected. 



Qjhristian 
(B[xtravagance 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



A?jd be not co7iformed to this world; 
but be ye trajisfoi-med by thje renew! qg 
of your mind, that you may prove what 
is that good, aqd acceptable, aqd perfect, 
will of God. — Romans I2:2. 




Christain Extravagances. 

|(^ANY utterances of Christ, our divine 
teacher, like the following, Thou shalt 
love thy neighbor as thyself, Matt. 5:43, 
show that we are to regard self. 

This duty we owe to ourselves is truly a high 
and noble one. The work before us is as broad 
as the destiny of one's own being; but into this 
life-work there is often found entering the 
spirit of selfishness, and we should try to dis- 
tinguish between this and true self-love. 

One has said, ''True self-love seeks its joys 
within the pale of right, assured that in duty 
there is happiness. It asks what is best, on the 
whole. 

We are living in a fast age, and under a 
mighty pressure; on the 

CREST OP A GREAT WAVE, 

as it were. Men are rushing hither and thither, 
occupied with this world and all that is to be 
gotten out of it. Many are getting a great deal 
and using it in many different ways, and more 
are endeavoring to obtain, that they may have 
to use. It is all right to acquire the goods of 
this world, and it is all right to use them; but 
the great question is, how are we acquiring, 
and how are we using them. 

Thou Shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. 
Ex. 33:2. 

There is a great deal said to-day in regard to 
fashion, and there is a great company of dev- 
otees, including many Christians, who are 
slaves to the same. Everything that is offered 
in the way of a change, they adopt. It may be 



72 CHRISTIAN EXTRAVAGANCES. 



an Ugly and uncomfortable article of wearing 
apparel; it may be a homely, stiff and un- 
gainly article of furniture or oruamentation; 
no matter, they must have it, regardless of cost 
or criticism, or the fact that it is a *'fad" and 
in a few weeks must be laid aside, else one is 
made *out of style' by its use. 

And 1)6 not conformed to this world : but be ye 
transformed by the renewing- of your mind, that 
ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, 
and perfect will of God. Rom. 12:2. 

Notice, we are not to be conformed to this 
world, that is, enslaved and devoted to its way3 
and life. 

While the Christian is not of the world, 7ie is 
in the ?/?6>r^c?,and,as a man among meu, he must 
have food and raiment, a home with its fur- 
nishings, etc. Shall he refuse to wear that 
suit of clothes, or use this set of furniture be- 
cause they were cut and made after the pattern 
of the day? Surely not. The dress of Christ 
was no doubt like that worn 

UPON THE STREETS OF THE CITIES 

and towns of Judea, Samaria, and Galilee. 
The question of the people then was not, who 
is this man with a strange dress, but, who is 
this man that does such wonderful works. They 
would have noticed no difference between him 
and the many about him, had it not been for 
his life and work. 

Very little is said in the Scriptures in regard 
to dress, and among all ot the teachings of 
Christ, not one word in regard to how a per- 
son should dress. He simply refers to the 
subject and states that but little thought should 
be given to it. 

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for 
your hfe, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall 
drink ; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put 



CHRISTIAN EXTRAVAGANCES. 73 

on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body 

than raiment? Matt. 6 :25 . 
Christ meant by the expression *'Take no 
thought/' not that we are never to think 
about, or to give any attention to our personal 
appearance, but, that we are not to give anx- 
ious, and unnecessarg thought to this subject. 

IT IS A SIN FOR CHRISTIANS 

to allow themselves to be entirely engrossed 
with the thought of display, fashion, and dress. 
This life fosters pride and selfishness. 

God warns his sons against setting their 
hearts on money, and His daughters against 
living for drese end show. The words of Paul 
and Peter, as found in 1 Tim. 2:9-10, and 1 Pet. 
3:3-4 when carefully analyzed, simply mean 
that God desires the Christian woman to seek 
her adornment, not in apparel but in character, 
in life and spirit. As one has said, "The adorn- 
ment required is not gold nor pearls, not shame- 
facedness nor modest apparel, not costly array 
nor plain dress; but Christlikeness'" 

While it is true that costly array engenders 
pride, yet it is equally true that 

THE PLAI:NNESS of the QUAKER 

lady's dress may engender a like pride, and she 
may be as proud of her plain gray bonnet and 
shawl as the lady with her stylish dress and 
rich mantle. 

Again, while it is wrong for a Chriatian to 
become engrossed with fashion and display, it 
is also wrong for him or her to neglect his or 
her personal appearance and be slovenly in 
attire 

We must constantly keep in mind the work 
to which Christ has called us. Our bodies He 
has purchased for his own use; hence they do 
not belong to us. 



74 CHRISTIAN EXTRAVAGANCES. 



What! know ye not that your body is the tem- 
ple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye 
have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Cor- 
6:19. 
Shall we then take these bodies which belong 
to Christ and make them walking fashion- 
plates? No. Neither shall the body, which is 
the "temple of God/' be slovenly attired. 

In providing for temporal needs, use econ- 
omy; have things as neat as possible, and such 
comforts as one's income will consistently allow, 
that you may keep your body in the 

BEST OF HEALTH FOR HIS SERVICE, 

In this provision we should have a regard 
for the class of people among whom the Lord 
has called us to live and work. We must not 
dress and live so as to place ourselves at a dis- 
advantage among them. 

If 3'ou are dwelling in a community wTiere 
those with whom 3^ou come in contact are in 
moderate circumstances, you will not need to 
give the same amount of time or money to the 
needs of home or dress that 3^ou would be 

CALLED UPON TO GIVE, 

if you were in a community where the people^ 
were in better circumstances.. If you are placed* 
where more time and thought are demanded, 
you will need to be the more watchful, lest 
pride and a love for show be created, and you 
are thwarted in the very work for which yoii 
are living, and bring God's displeasure upon 
you. He hates -pride, and desires you to do 
the same, and if you are living in His love and 
fear, you are and will. 

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and 
arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward 
mouth do I hate. Pro v. 8:13. 

Common sense is a gift of God. Let us use 
it in this matter. Were I desirous of influence 



CHRISTIAN EXTRAVAGANCFS. 75 



ing a young man who was giving his life to the 
one thought of pleasure, dress, and dissipation, 
to lead a higher and nobler life,' I should see to 
it that my personal appearance and address 
would not repulse and turn him from me. To 
do this, 1 need not dress extravagantly, neither 
need 1 appear in an unstylish dress. 
Before I can win a soul to Christ, 

I MUST WIN HIM TO MYSELF; 

and to do this there must be some common 
ground upon which we can stand together. I 
may find this in my home, which though not 
extravagantly furnished is made attractive, 
through tastefully using what is right to use. 

Goods which cost the least, are often most 
expensive in the end, and sometimes that 
which is most costly is the cheape«t. If your 
heart is right with God, you will not purchase 
any article about which you have doubts, with- 
out first asking counsel of Him. 

In every thing by prayer and supplication, with 
thanksgiviog", let your requests be made known 
unto God. Phil. 4:6. 

Let the Christian refrain from any loud, 
loose, or immodest styles, but rather by his or 
her natural modesty and simplicity, win those 
about them. Plainness with many has a rich- 
ness, and simplicity contains true beauty. 

The secret oi beauty in the dress of a Chris- 
tian who is moving among the people of the 
world, endeavoring to win them to Christ, is to 
so dress that he or she will not appear stylish 
(in the full meaning of the word), nor yet ap- 
pear out of style, but rather, so dress as to meet 
the proper demands, and not excite criticism, 
either for or against one's personal appearance. 

Have clear convictions of your duty, and 
pray that these may be based upon the Word 
of God, and given you for the honor and glory 



76 



CHRISTIAN EXTRAVAGANCES. 



of the Master, glorifying Him in your hody 
which is His as well as your soul. 

Do not consult the flesh or those that walk 
after the flesh, because they cannot please God, 
—they live for self. 

For they that are after the flesh do mind the 
things of the flesh ; . . . so then they that are 
in the flesh can not please God. Rom. 8:5,8. 

Let your example prove that the desire of 
your heart is to please the Saviour rather than 
Bome earthly friend. That you are endeavoring 
to be conformed to His likeness, rather tnan be- 
ing conformed to tJiis world. It is very easy 
for us to criticise another, — one's life, manner, 
dress, conversation, and use of means, and be- 
cause it is so easy to do this, we are more and 
more led to see that we should be very careful 
how we do it. There are those who profess to 
be living very holy and correct lives, who 
seem to have very little of the charity that 
''suffereth long and is kind, "spoken of in 1 Cor. 
13:14, if we may judge from the way in which 
they criticise many of our Christians, In the 
thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians, we have 
charity, or love (as the word should be rendered, 
as is in the revised version of the Scriptures) 
magnified by the Spirit above testimony, 
prophecy, faith, benevolence, and sacrifice. 

Js there not a danger at times of becoming 
hyper-critical? There are those that criticise 
the Christian woman if she wears a flower on 
her hat or a ribbon on her dress, when perhaps 
there is more true love to Christ and faithfulness 
in His service on the part of this one who wears 
the flower, than the one who gives the criti- 
cism. Such a spirit of criticism savors more of 
the Pharisaical than the Christian life, and 
those that are guilty of it, are no doubt strain- 



CHRISTIAN EXTRAVAGANCES. 77 



ing at a gnat, and swallowing a camel every- 
day in their own lives. Such are, as one has 
said, "being diverted from inward holiness, to 
a simple incident of outward conformity, and 
he or she who does this, is in danger of losing 
the one, as they become intensely interested in 
the other. With their attention unconsciously 
drawn from Christ to their hobby, they lose 
the Christ-like spirit." 

There are two extremes to which Christians 
are led, one is that of extravagance, and a love 
for display, which engenders pride; and the 
other of extreme plainness which engenders a 
spirit of bitterness, and uncharitableness. The 
first leads us to be haughty, the second to be 
sour. God keep us from both and help us to 
be clothed with humility. 1 Pet. 5:5. 



Christfan Influence. 

Every Christian makes an impression by his 
conduct, and witnesses either for one side or 
the other. His looks, dress, whole demeanor, 
make a constant impression on one side or the 
other. He cannot help testifying for or against 
religion. He is either gathering with Christ or 
scattering abroad. Every step you take, you 
take on chords that will vibrate to all eternity 
Every time you move, you touch keys whose 
sounds will re-echo over all the hills and dales 
of Heaven and through all the dark caverns and 
vaults of Hell. 

Every moment of your lives you are exerting 
a tremendous influence that will tell on the im- 
mortal interests of souls all around you. Are 
you asleep while all your conduct is exerting 
such an influence? 

Your spirit and deportment produce an influ 
ence on the world against religion. How shall 
the world believe religion wrien the witnesses 
are not agreed among themselves, and the sum 
of their whole testimony is, "There is no need 
of being pious?" 

Oh, how guilty! Perhaps hundreds of souls 
will meet you in the judgment, and curse you 
(if they are allowed to speak) for leading them 
to Hell by practically denying the truth of the 
gospel. — Bev. Charles G. Finney, 



'he C^hristians 
iVloneg 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORb. 



Give, and it shall be given unto you; 
good nqeasure, pressed down, aqd shaken 
together, and running over, shall nneq give 
into your bosom. For with the same 
measure that ye mete withal, it shall be 
measured to you again. — Luke 6:j8. 




The Christian's Money. 

pT is said that, *'in acquring wealth, as in 
seeking Christ, we must know what is 
in the Book;" — Yes, and we would say 
that in using our money we will do well to 
consult the Book. "As in the human body, so 
in the spiritual body, good health depends 
lar2:ely upon th6 circulation. A stagnation of 
giving will produce spiritual numbness and 
torpor, but a constant flow of benevolence 
brings untold blessing." How many Chris- 
tians are dying of dry rot. They are doing 
n>tb.ing. ail ^^i/iag little or nothing.lt is 
not a question of what we choose to spare, 
but what God requires us to set apart for His 
cause. We are commanded to give as well as 
to pray, and if we are seeking to please the 
Master, we will look into His word and be 
guided by it. There are many ways of giving 
into which Christians have fallen, that 

ARE DISGRACEFUL AND DISHONORING. 

Many give without considering the matter or 
having communed with God about it, dropping 
the smallest coin into the collection box, a cop- 
per or a nickel, or perhaps in some special 
case putting in a quarter, half, or dollar, and if 
the latter amount, thinking they are doing 
well. 

We must remember that the ability and skill 
that we may have, (if we have any at all) to 
make money, has been given us of God. 

But thou Shalt remember the Lord thy God : for 
it is he that giveth the power to get wealth. 
Deut. 8:18. 

Shall we then take all that the Lord has en- 



82 THE CHRISTIAN'S MONEY. 



abled us to gain, and use it for our own selfish 
ends? No, let us Tionor the Lord with it. 

Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the 
first fruits of all thine increase. Prov. 3:9. 

George Muller of England has said, "Many 
of God's children have not only no desire that 
all they have should be the Lord's, if He could 
call for it, but they have not reached even so 
far as Jacob had, who did not live UDder the 
present dispensation, and who, at the first 
dawning of spiritual life, said, to God, 

Of all that thou shalt give me, I will surely give 
the tenth unto thee. Gen. 28:23. 

They do not give even the tenth part of all 
the Lord is pleased to give them, back again to 
Him. They can readily lay out $20,000 in the 
purchase of a house, $500 a year upon the ed- 
ucation of each of their children, keep ; several 
servants, and live in other respects in proportion 
to this, and spend, strictly speaking, not $250 
directly for the work of 'God. What are the 
consequences? As they live more for themselves 
or their children, than for God, they are not 
really happy in God, and one real end for 
which God has left them here on earth, has 
been lost. 

But this has not merely to do with the rich, 
or the middle class of the children of God, but 
even with the poorer classes. The Christian 
man who has a small salary, or a small busi- 
ness, or the journeyman who only earns his 
wages, says, "I have so little 1 can not spare 
anything, or if anything, it can be 

^ ONLY THE MEREST TRIFLE.*' 

What is the result? Either all, or almost all, 
is spent upon himself, or, that which is not 
needed, is put by for a future day. The con- 
sequence is, that such people are not happy 
spiritually, and often do not prosper tempo- 
rally, because, as they are not faithful over the 



THE christian's MONEY. S3 



little with which God has been pleased to in- 
trust them, He can not entrust them with 
more/' 

The close, stingy Christian may well heed 
the following words of the wise man. 

There is that scattereth and yet iiicreaseth; 
There is that withholdeth more than is meet, but 
it tendeih to poverty, Prov. 11:24. 

There are many, who doubtless echo the 
following remark of a Christian lady. "I 
would just as soon give as not, when I have 
any money by me, but I don't always have 
any.'' The way to have money to give away, 
is to plan to have it. 

Upon the first day of the week let every one of 
joulay hy him in store as God hath prospered 
him. 1 Cor. 16:2. 

Notice, "lat/ by," it says. 

What we need in our church work now, is a 
rule of systematic gimng, and the adoption of 
the same by every member of Christ. 

Mr. Spurgeon tells of a poor woman who 
said she would give a penny a week to the 
mission fund. "Surely you are too poor to 
afford this,"* said one; she replied, 'T spin so 
many hanks of yarn a week for my living, and 
I will spin one hank more, and that will be 

A PENNY FOR THE SOCEETY. 

Among the different means of grace, there 
are few that bring more joy than the giving of 
our means to the Lord. 

A business man a short time ago, as he was 
writing a check for a benevolent cause, re- 
marked, "This is what I enjoy; it is a real 
pleasure for me to give this.'' 

JSTotonly does spiritual blessing come through 
giving, but there are promises of reward in 
temporal gifts. 



84 ' THE christian's MONEY. 



He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto 

the Lord; and that which he hath given mlZ /le 

pay Mm again. Prov. 19:17. 

The hberal soul shall be made fat; and he that 

watereth shall he watered also himself, Prov. 

11:25. 

Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with 

the first fruits of all thy increase; so shall thy 

barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall 

hurst out with new wine. Prov. 3:9-10. 

Give and it shall be given you good measure, 

pressed down shaken together and running over, 

shall men give into your bosom. For with the 

same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be 

measured to you again . Luke 6 : 38 . 

While we should never give for the sake of 
being repaid by the Lord, it is a blessed truth 
that the Lord does prosper man in his temporal 
matters. 

Mr. Thomas Kane of Chicago has sent out to 
at least three fourths of all of the evangelical 
ministers in the United States, and through 
them by means of little pamphlets and tracts, 

TO FOUR MILLION LAYMEN, 

this question: '*My belief is, that God blesses 
in temporal as well as spiritual things, the man 
who honors Him by settiDg apart a stated por- 
tion of his income to his service. I have never 
known an exception. Have you?" To his 
question, ''many hundreds, perhaps thousands 
of answers'' have been received by him, and 
*'not a single authentic exception has ever been 
given,*' 

**HOW MUCH SHALL I GIVE?''* 

is a question that troubles a good many Chris- 
tians. Let us say that we think that one-tenth is 
the least that any of us can afford to give. 8ome 
say that the tenth system is old-dispensational, 
and that we are not under law, but under grace. 
Well, my friend, if those under law gave one- 
tenth, surely we who are under grace ought to 



THE christian's MONEY. 85 



do as well. But stop; you must remember that 
the Jews gave more than one-tenth. Rev. E. 
D. Griffin, D. D., in a sermon some years ago, 
made this statement: 

*'In the first place, the Jews were to devote 
the first-fruits of their fields and of their flocks; 
in the second place, they were to give to the 
Levites a tenth of all the products of both; in 
the third place they were to consume another 
tenth in charity-feasts with the Levites and the 
poor; in the fourth place, they were to offer 
many expensive sacrifices, some fixed by law, 
and others voluntary. These four items can- 
not be reckoned 

AT LESS THAN THREE TENTHS 

of their income. In the fifth place, the many 
contributions demanded for the poor (some 
fixed by law and others voluntary), together 
with all that was required for hospitality, are 
moderately estimated at another tenth. 

Indeed, under the pressure of all these laws, 
a conscientious and liberal Hebrew would 
hardly get through the year without parting 
with one half of his income," Is it not true, 
as many hold, that only after we have laid aside- 
the one-tenth, do we really begin to gwel 

Malachi the Prophet, speaking by inspiration, 
told the people of "his day that they were rob- 
bing God. They asked. Wherein have we 
robbed God? and he answered them, ''in 
tithes and offerings J' (Mai. 3:8.) and then he 
exhorts them, bring ye all the tithes into the 
store house (10th verse). 

There is no stealing so mean or so low, as 
stealing from God." It ought to shame us 
when we think of the gifts of some of God's 
children. At a late meeting of the Baptist 
missionary society of Great Britain, Rev. F. B. 
Meyer cited these instances which came under 
his notice. 



86 THE CHRISTIAN'S MONEY. 



**A governess earns $500 a year and gives 
away one half; a person whose income is 
$10,000, lives on $1,000 and gives away $9,000; 
another who earns $7,200 lives on $500 j and 
gives away $6,700; another whose income is 
$40,000 lives on $1,250, 

AND GIVES AWAY $38,750. 

This is real munificence. 
There are those who comfort themselves 
with the thought that when they come to die, 
they will leave their money to the cause of 
Christ, and do great good. Whv not give of 
your money now, and see it enjoyed, and enjoy 
seeing it do good'^ 

Mr. Hastings has well asked the question, 
**You are a steward of the Lord; suppose He 
wants some of your money, and wants it now; 
will you compel Him to put you under ground 
before he can get it? Why not deal out that 
which God has entrusted to 3^ou, and see that it 
is well used, and live and enjoy the blessing of 
it. Surely it is wiser to do this than to say to 
the Lord, ''This money is yours, but you shall 
never have any of it as long as I live\ when I am 
dead you can use it.'" 

Let us give noio, and by so doing lay up for 
ourselves treasures in heaven. 

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 
where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and 
where thieves do not break through nor steal. 
Matt. 6:20. 

We should give ''^s God hath prospered'' us, 
(1 Cor, 16:2.) as this is the New Testament rule 
and we should seek to be guided by the Word 
in this matter. There are very many who are 
being greatly prospered in temporal matters, 
and if they were to give as God hath prospered 
them, would need to give much more than one- 
tenth. The man with a salary of $500, giving 
a tenth, is really giving more, relatively, than 



THE christian's MONEY. 87 



the man with a salary of |10,000 who gives the 
same per cent. The man with the $500 salary 
supporting a family, will need to practice strict 
economy, and often deny himself, to give his 
tenth, while the one giving only a tenth of his 
$10,000 income, will not need so to deny him- 
self. There are a great many who are always 
giving their *'mite," keep'ing before their 
mind the ''widow's mite," thinking that if the 
Lord so commended this one mentioned in the 
Scriptures, He will commend them. Most peo- 
ple overlook the fact that the commendation of 
the Lord was not because the woman gave, but 
because she gave, one tenth? no; one half? 
no ; 

BUT AliL HER LIVING. 

Do not talk about giving *'the widow's mite,'* 
when, upon being asked to make an offering to 
the Lord's cause, you take the amount that may 
be in your purse at the time, thinking it a real 
giving of all you have, when, if you had 
adopted the tithing system, and been laying 
aside as the Lord has prospered you, you 
would have given twice as much. Some one 
has said, *'God reckons the money given, by the 
amount thai is left behind.'' 

If we have no system of laying aside a defi 
nite amount for the Lord's cause, W€ shall often 
think, when asked to give, that we cannot af- 
ford to, because our own j)ersonal account is loio, 
when if we had laid aside, there might have 
been quite an amount of the Lord's money 
from which we could have given. 

Freely ye have received, freely give. Matt. 10 ;8 



A Missionary Picture. 

''HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE.'' 

The following contrast is taken from The 
Episcopal Becorder. It was suggested by Dr. 
Pierson's missionary address: 



a 



856,000,000 heathen. 

Collections for mis 
sions,$8.67. ''Best that 
we can do on account 
of home expenses.'' 

"He must de- 
crease." 

Collection for Freed" 
men in the South, 
$3.99 

"We have no mon- 

ey." 

'*The silver and the 
gold is Mine, and the 
cattle upon a thousand 
hills." 

"Give and it shall 
be given unto you." 

"Go out quickly into 
the streets and lanes 
of the city, and bring 
in hither the poor, and 
the maimed, and the 
halt, and the blind." 



27,000,000 Protest- 
ants. 

$15,000 collection for 
our new steeple. 

'*We must hold up 
the cross (on the 
steeple). 

"We must increase." 

$10,000 for new or- 
?er- 



gan. Paid choir 
mon on Macbeth. ' 
must push ahead. 



= We 



"Let the missionaries 
live on faith. Lord, 
keep them humble, 
and we'll keep t em 
poor." 

Notice, None but re- 
spect able sinners ad 
mitted into tiiis 
church. Pews, $200. 
Let the poor join the 
Salvation Army. 

— Selected. 



^undag 

ginning 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



Not forsaking the assembling of our- 
selves togethei^, as tlqe maqner of sorqe is; 
but exl]orting one aqother; and so xv^z\\ 
the more as ye see the day approacf^iqg 
— Hebrews I0:2^, 



Sunday Sinning. 

ONE of the greatest providences of God to 
man, was, His commanding, 

Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 
but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord 
thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, 
nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, 
nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy 
strang-er that is within thy gates; For in six 
days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, 
and all that in thera is, and rested on the seventh 
day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath 
day and hallowed it . Ex . 20 :9-ll . 

In this command and demand that God 
made, that man should set aside one day out of 
seven for Him, He was making a provision for 
man that he (man) little dreamed of — provision 
for the soul, mind and body — provision for 
worship, service and rest — and the man or men 
who destroy this day, 

"Day of all the week the best, 
Emblem of eternal rest." 

are possessed of the spirit that led men to put 
to death the One who made the day sacred. 

The Lord's day, the day out of the seven, set 
aside by the Christian as his day to be given to 
God, has in different ways, been made sacred 
by our Lord. 

1st, By his rising on that day. 

Now upon the first day of the week, very early 
in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, 
bringing the spices which they had prepared, 
and certain others with them, and they found 
the stone rolled away from the sepulcher, and 
they entered in, and found not the body of the 
Lord Jesus. 

And it came to pass as they were much per- 
plexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by 
them in shining garments: and as they were 



92 SUNDAY SINNING. 



afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth, 
they said unto them, Why seek ye the living* 
among- the dead? He is not here, but is risen, 
Luke 24:1-6. 

2nd, The day was made sacred by His 
choosing it as ^7^6 tfa^/ in which to reveal Him' 
self to His disciples and friends after His resur- 
rection. 

Then the same day at evening-, being- the first day 
of the week, when the doors were shut where the 
disciples assembled for fear of the Jews, came 
Jesus and stood in the 'iuidst, and said unto them, 
Peace be unto you. John 20:19. 

3d, The day was made sacred by being cho- 
sen as the day on which to break bread at the 
Lord's table. 

And upon the first day of the week when the dis- 
ciples came together to break breads Paul 
preached unto them. Acts 20:7. 

4th, The day was made sacred by being cho- 
sen as tlie day upon which to lay aside gifts for 
Christian benevolence. 

Upon th e^?'st day of the week let every one of 
you lay by him in store as God hath prospered 
him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 
1 Cor. 16:2. 

5th, The day was made sacred by God's 
choosing it as tJie day upon which to give to the 
Apostle John the prophecy as found in the 
book of Revelation. 

I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and heard 
behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, 
. . . What thou seest write in a book. Bev. 
1:10-11. 

Although the day is made so sacred by the 
Lord, yet it is being very greatly desecrated by 
those who are praying, **Thy kingdom come, 
thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." 
Matt. 6:10. 

How many of the Lord's own children are 
not satisfied with the use of six days given 
them for the needs of the body, but rob God of 



SUNDAY SINNING. 93 



the one day that he desires us to give Him, and 
in the face of the fact, that, when we give Him 
the day, we are making it return us benefits, 
the value of which eternity only can reveal. 

What would you think of a child, to whom a 
father had given a bag containing half a dozen 
oranges, who, upon seeing that the father had 
laid aside one for himself, should slip in, take, 
and eat it, leaving the father none? You 
would say that the child ought to have the six 
given him taken away and be punished for his 
sin; but my friends there are many of God's 
children who are stealing from the Lord His 
day, after having six of their own to use. 
There are many who would not for a moment 
think of stealing a loaf of bread from their 
baker, but have no scruples against stealing a 
day from their Maker. 

Some steal the day for pleasure. They go on 
a picnic or excursion, making the day a Iwliday, 
Hundreds of thousands of people leave ISIew 
York City alone, every Sunday of the summer 
season, for Coney Island, Rockaway, Long 
Branch, and other places of resort. The day is 
made a day of work, instead of worship, a day 
of recreation instead of rest. 

Is it not true that many are making it a day 
simply for recreation and sport? They take 
the car and ride out to the park, or they take 
their horse and go out for a pleasure trip. With 
some it is a game of ball in the field, with oth- 
ers it is gathering flowers in the woods. The 
day is used to meet the fancy of the old nature, 
and the soul with its needs is set aside. 

When "Buffalo Bill'* visited Boston, the me- 
tropolis of New England, where Christianity 
coming into this country was cradled, ten 
thousand people assembled on the Lord's day 
to witness the "Wild West'' show which con- 



94 SUNDAY SINNING. 



sisted in lassoing buffaloes, robbing stage 
coaches, and performing other tricks of the 
circus." This is the way our Sunday, a day- 
consecrated by Christ, set apart by divine ordi- 
nance and the usage of our fathers as a holy 
day, is used. If this trend of Sunday sinning 
continues, in a few years we shall have no quiet 
Lord's day. 

The late John Bright, one of England's 
greatest men. said before the House of Com- 
mons: *'The stability and character of our 
country, and the advancement of our race, de- 
pend, I believe, very largely upon the mode in 
which the day of rest, which seems to have 
been specially adapted to the needs of man- 
kind, shall be used and observed.'' 

Lord Shaftsbury has said, **Just in propor- 
tion as the religious associations of Sunday are 
lessened, will the exactions of Sunday labor be 
multiplied," 

1st, We would observe for our own good as 
individuals, we ought to make sacred the Lord's 
day. As one has said, "Sunday given to the 
soul is the best of all refreshments." 

While Sunday is to the Christian a day of 
rest, it should not be a day of idleness. The 
day should be used as a day of worship and 
work. Remember the early church came to- 
gether on the Lord's day, and we have been 
exhorted by the spirit not to forsake the as- 
sembling of ourselves together. 

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves to- 
g-ether as the manner of some is ; but exhorting 
one another; and so much the more as ye see the 
day approaching. Heb. 10:25. 

The Christian business man who has been 
spending six days for himself, working hard, 
will find rest in attendance upon service in the 
house of the Lord, and in working for the 
Master. 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I 



SUNDAY SINNING. 95 



am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find 
rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy and 
my burden is light. Man. 11:29-30. 

Here the Saviour says we shall ''find rest.'' 
Not in idleness, but in taking His ''Yoke" 
upon us, which means service. 

Many, however, think that if they are tired 
when Sunday morning comes, they can throw 
themselves into an easy chair and spend the 
day in idleness, or at the most, reading the 
papers and novels of the day. If one is really 
in a condition that would not warrant his go- 
ing out, we ihink in many cases a wiser use of 
the sacred time might be made by him . We 
ought not to starve our souls, but feed them; 
and to day as never before, there are to be 
found publications not of a melancholy or 
sanctimonious style, but a fresh, interesting, 
and scriptural type, and most of all ought we 
to feed upon the word of God. 

As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of 
the word, t/iafc ye may grow thereby. 1 Pet. 3:2. 
But grow In grace, and in the knowledge of our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pet. 3:18. 

We shall never grow in grace and in the 
knowledge of the Lord unless we read the book 
that tells us about Him. So, if on the Lord's 
day we can not get out to public worship, 
let us not spend the time in reading 
papers and books of a light and frivolous char- 
acter, but those which are pure, scriptural, and 
instructive, and as I have said before, the word 
of God which thoroughly furnishes us for our 
life work. 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and 
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for cor- 
rection, for instruction in righteousness: that 
the man of God may be perfect, thorouuJdy fur- 
nished unto all good works. 3 Tim. 3:16-17, 

2nd, For the good of our children we should 
make the Lord's day a sacred day. If, as you 



g6 StTNDAY SINNING. 



say, you can not have family worship week- 
day mornings, surely you can on Sundays, and 
for your children's sake, as well as your own, 
you should. 

There are many children in many of our best 
homes, who have never witnessed their family 
gathered, in worship and if it were to be intro- 
duced it would seem to them at first an inno- 
vation. How many of us have to thaok God 
for the influence of the family altar, felt by us 
in childhood. Its memory still lingers and has 
been a most blessed thought to us. Parents 
can not always delegate the duty they owe to 
their children upfon pastors or Sunday school 
teachers. Home instruction on the part of pa- 
rents is very greatly neglected. Some are so 
afraid they will be ''too strict" with their chil- 
dren. Of course it is true that we may be, but 
there is more danger of our being too careless 
and neglectful. I believe that where one is too 
strict, a dozen are too loose. 

Mr. Talmage says, "I never lived in New 
England, but I would rather trust the old Puri- 
tanic Sunday with all its faults, than this mod- 
ern Sunday, which is fast becoming no Sunday 
at all. Make Sunday a day the children will 
enjoy. 

Make more of family worship on this day, 
and study to make it interesting; Encourage 
all going to Sunday school, and go with them. 
Look out special stories for the older children. 
Have for the younger ones a Sunday box con- 
taining cards, pictures or other interesting 
things for Sunday only, laying it aside during 
the week, and not allowing it to be seen; by 
so doing keeping the matter fresh. 

Make the day tell for the Lord and the soul. 

And these words, which I command thee this 
day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt 
teach them dilig-ently unto thy children, and 
Shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine 



SUNDAY SINNING. 97 



house, and when thou walkest by the way, and 
when thou liest down and when thou risest up. 
And thou shalt bind them for a sig*n upon tnine 
hand, and they shall be as frontlets between 
thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon 
the posts of thine house, and on thy gates. 
Deut. 6:6-9. 

3d, You need to made the day sacred be- 
cause of your neighbor, and the influence you 
may exert over him. 

You should be working for the souls of oth- 
ers, and the Lord's day is preeminently a day 
of opportunity. Business is closed; many who 
are not Christians will attend Sunday school, 
and gather where the gospel is preached, and 
we should improve our opportunities by mak- 
ing the most of the day. If we do not, God 
will call us to account for our neglect. 

When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely 
die; and thou givesthim not warning, nor speak- 
est to warn the wicked from his wicked way, 
to save his life; the same wicked man shall die 
in his iniquity; hathishlood will I require at thy 
hand, Ez. 3; 18. 

Sunday is the day of all days in which to 
warn men, and one of the ways to do this, is by 
setting an example, and showing by life and 
conduct that the Lord's day is to us a sacred 
day, and means more to us than any other. 
The very re-occurrnef;e of the day every week is 
in itself a warning to man, but if we by reason 
of our carelessness, or making the day a season 
of convenience for our own selfishness, help to 
turn it into a holiday rather than a holy day, 
we binder God by weakening the influence of 
His day, and will surely bring upon us His con- 
demnation. 



Appreciate Sunday. 

I would to God that we could all come to a 
higher appreciation of this Sabbath heritage! 
We can not count the treasures of one Christian 
S ^bbath. It spreads out over us the two wiDgs 
of the archangel of mercy. Oh, blessed Sab- 
bath! blessed Sabbath! They scoff a great deal 
about the old puritanic Sabbaths, and there is 
a wonderful amount of wit expended upon the 
subject now — the Sabbaths they used to have 
in Kew England. 

I never lived in New England, but I would 
rather trust the old puritanic Sabbath, with all 
its faults, than this modern Sabbath, which is 
fast becoming no Sabbath at all. If our modern 
Sabbat'sm shall produce as stalwart Christian 
character as toe old Kew England puritanic 
Sabbatism, I shall be satisfied and shall be sur- 
prised. 

We are to have in this day the joy of eternal 
Sabbatism. I do not believe it possible for any 
Christian to spend the Lords day here without 
thinking of Heaven. There is something in the 
gathering of people in church on eanh to make 
one think of the rapt assemblage in the skies. 
There is s meihing in the song of the Chr stian 
church to make one think of the song of the 
elders before the throne, the harpist an { the 
trumpeters of Gjd accompany the harmonv. 
The lii?ht of a be^er Sabbath gilds the top of 
this, and earth and H'^aven come within speak- 
ing distance of each other. — Bev. T. DeWitt 
Talmage, D. D. 



©I^aptep Ten. 

flotne 






HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



WFjerefore also we are aiT[bitious, whetFjer 
at home or away from home to be well 
pleasing to Him. — i^Rotheram^s traiislation) 
Second Corinthians j:g. 



Home* 




Its Influence and Attractions* 

iWi^OW much meaning there is to us in the 
little word home. We can not even see 
the word in print, without having 
thoughts of the sacred place thrill our very 
souls. What tender associations are linked 
with home! what deep emotions the thought 
awakens! 

Years ago twenty thousand people gathered 
in the old Castle Garden, New York, to hear 
Jennie Lind sing. After singing some of the 
sublime compositions of the old Masters, she 
began to pour forth 

*'HOME, SWEET HOME.'' 

'*The audience could not stand it. An uproar 
of applause stopped the music. Tears gushed 
from thousands like rain." The word ''home'' 
touched the fiber of every soul in that im- 
mense throng. 

As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a 
man that wandereth from his place, (his home). 
Prov. 37:8. 

This is surely true if it is a Christian home» 
with a loving mother. Napoleon once said» 
**What France wants is good mothers, and you 
may be sure then that France will have good 
sons/' 

It is true that the loving Christian mothers 
are making the great and the good men of to- 
day. How many tell of the molding power of 
home, and how the "tender twig" was bent, 
habits formed aright, and the foundation laid 



I02 HOME. 

upon which to build character. Thos. McCrie, 
an eminent Scotch preacher, used to tell with 
great feeling of how his mother, when he was 
starting out for school in the city, accompa- 
nied him along the road a little way, and then 
leading him into the field where she could be 
alone, prayed with him, that he might be kept 
from sin in the city, and become a very useful 
man. That moment was the 

TUKNING POINT IN HIS LIFE. 

now beautiful is the sight of a family, father, 
mother, sister, and brother, gathered around 
the table together at home. 

The family circle may be, and ought to be, 
the most charming place on earth — the center 
of the purest affections. And yet, how many 
of our homes are, for different reasons, any- 
thing but attractive. How many of our boys 
seem to care nothing for their home! It la 
only their eating and sleeping place. Their 
evenings are spent on the streets, and in places 
of amusement. Why is this? It is often be- 
cause parents have not made home what it 
ought to be; they have failed to take the right 
course with their children. 

Dr. Theo. Cuyler says, The primal duty of 
every father and mother is to make home at- 
tractive to the boys and girls. Some goodly- 
minded fathers, who are very regular at prayer 
meetings, and some mothers who never miss 
their "Dorcas Society,'' make shocking blun- 
ders in the management of their own children. 
Their ''own vineyard' ' is badly kept, and yields 
only sour grapes. 

When a boy begins to dislike his home, and 
seeks to escape from it, he has very often 
reached the first mile-stone on the road to 
''the bad,'' and for this dislike, his parentg 
maybe 



HOME. 103 



MORE THAN HALF RESPONSIBLE. 

I do not wonder that some boys seek com- 
pany out of the home. Father, if he stays at 
home wants the room quiet so he can read, and 
the poor boy is kept in a straight jacket. If the 
father spends his evenings down town the boy 
is likely to do the same. If you would keep 
your boy at home, make it the most attractive 
place on earth to him. Give him a room of 
his own, where he can have his friends come at 
limes, and enjoy a pleasant evening. 

We have noticed that many of our mothers 
have made a great mistake in this room mat 
ter. The boy in the family generally has the 
poorest room in the house, with the poorest 
furniture, and nothing about it to make it at- 
tractive. Sister's room is generally "fixed up.'* 

LET THE boy's BE AS WELL 

fixed, if not better. He has more outside temp- 
tations to draw him away, therefore the home 
attractions need to be the greater for him. 

If you would have a happy home there must 
be harmony among its members. 

Dr. Hall has said, '1 have peeped into quiet 
parlors where the carpet is clean and not old, 
and the furniture polished and bright, into 
rooms where the chairs are neat, the floor car- 
petless; into kitchens where the family live and 
the meals are cooked and eaten, where the boys 
and girls are blithe as the sparrows overhead, 
and I see it is not so much wealth and learning, 
nor clothing and servants, nor toil, nor idleness, 
nor town, nor station, as tone and temper, that 
render home happy or wretched.'' 

We must all learn to bear and take; we can 
not have everything as we like it. Sometimes 
it will be the husband's duty and sometimes 
the wife's to yield. 



104 HOME. 



Be ye kind one toward another, tender-hearted, 
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's 
sake hath forgiven you. Eph. 4:33. 
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own hus- 
bands, as unto the Lord. Eph, 5:22. 
Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also 
loved the church and gave himself for it. Eph. 
5:25. 

Children obey your parents in the Lord: for 
this is right. Eph. 6:1. 

The habit of judging one another is very 
common, and there is in human nature that 
element which prompts many to find flaws in 
those about them, and to be always telling their 
friends of them. At this miserable habit our 
Lord has leveled His unqualified condemnation. 

In his sermon on the mount He says, 

^^ Judge not that ye be not judged, for with what 
judgment ye judge ye shall be judged, and with 
what measure ye mete it shall be measured to 
you again. Matt. 7:1-2. 

Thou art inexcusable, O man. whosoever thou 
art that judgest, for wherein thou judgest an- 
other thou condemnest thyself; for thou that 
iudgest doest the same thing, flom. 2:1. 

There must be love in the home because it is 
this which enables us to bear with one another 
and be patient. We are told that love covereth 
a multitude of sins. 

And above all things have fervent charity (love) 
among yourselves: for charity shall cover a muUi' 
tudeof sins. 1 Pet, 4:8. 

Charity (love) suffereth long and is kind. 1 Cor. 
13 ;4. 

It is love that prompts to thoughtfulness. 
The young crave entertainment, and many want 
amusement, and often we all feel the need of 
recreation. We have spoken of certain amuse- 
ments that the Christian ought not to patronize, 
because of surroundings, character, and influ- 
ence. And yet many of our young cry out for 
something, they hardly know what, that will 



< 



HOME. 105 

please them, and help them to have ''a good 
time," 

Home is the place for the child to find much 
of this, that he calls "fun/' and it seems to me 
that the loving father and mother will see that 
their children 

ARE PROVIDED WITH THIS. 

-What a source of entertainment one finds in 
music, both vocal and instrumental. It is so 
inspiring, refreshing, and comforting. Let ev- 
ery home, so far a^ they have the means to af- 
ford it, have flute or violin, piano ar organ. 

It does seem as if those that want amusement 
could find it in some of the many games of to- 
day. We believe it can be found for our boys 
and girls at home and that they can be made to 
feel that, 

"THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME.'* 

Let the children be furnished with checker- 
board and chess men, their authors, logomachy 
and games of like character, parlor croquet, 
and during the summer season, the out door 
sports and recreations of the lawn, field and 
wood. 

There are enough games and sports to meet 
their need, that are entertaining, interesting, 
and invigorating, and yet free from impure in- 
fluences and improper associations. 

Not only does the moral and spiritual life of 
a child depend very largely upon the home 
training, but the 

SOCIAL LIFE AND MANNERS ALSO. 

There is scarcely anything of more impor- 
tance to a child than good breeding. If parents 
perform their duty to the young faithfully, but 
few will be destitute of manners. 

Visit a family where parents are civil and 
courteous toward all within the household, and 



tb6 HOME. 



you will find that the children will have good 
manners, just as they learn to talk from imita- 
tion. 

The God of patience and consolation grant ypu 
to be like minded one toward another according 
to Christ Jesus. Rom 15:5. 

Be kindly affectioned one toward another with 
brotherly love ; in honor preferring one another. 
Rom. 12:10. 

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having com- 
passion one of another, love as brethren, be 
pitiful, Z)6 courteous. 1 Pet. 3:8. 

Some one has said, "A great many homes are 
like the frame of a harp that stands without 
strings. In form and outline they suggest mu- 
sic, but no melody rises from the empty spaces; 
and thus it happens that home is unattractive, 
dreary and dull." 

Let us parents make the home and its life 
beautiful by example and influence, as the 
memory of such a home is the richest legacy 
one can leave his children. Let us ever remem- 
ber, too. that the home will not be what it 
should be unless we have Christ as a member of 
the family, and He becomes the life around 
which we gather daily in our devotion and 
worship. 

What is there more beautiful in a home than 
one and all gathered around the family altar 
with reading, song and prayer. God help us 
to live that it may be said of us, as it was said 
of Abraham of old, 

For I know him that he will command his chil- 
dren and his household after him ; and they shall 
keep the wait of the Lord^ to do justice and 
judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abra- 
ham that which he hath spoken of him. Gen. 
18:19. 

Let us be ambitious to please our Master not 
only in our homes, but whenever we are called 
away, because, if we live right in our homes, 
we shall be quite likely to live aright outside. 



HOME. 



107 



Wherefore also we are ambitious whether at 
home or awofy from home to be well pleasing" to 
him. 3 Cor. 5:9. JRotheram's translation . 



Education in the Home. 

There is a process of education constantly 
going OD in ever}^ dwelling which care and 
thought can make an unspeakable advantage, 
and at the same time contribute to make a happy- 
home. To keep objects of pure and high inter- 
est before the children's minds, in a natural 
aDd suitable way to have them supplied with 
such books as will occupy and interest — to talk 
not so much to tliem as with them about objects 
— to take note of and encourage any advance 
they make, and to direct the flow not of a part 
of, but of the ichole of their lives— physical, 
mental, moral, without apparent interference 
or violence; this happ}^ art— to be sought, 
prayed for, labored for— under God's ^blessing, 
goes far to make a happy home. 
^ The tastes of children are naturally simple. 
Your child's wooden toy cut with your own 
hand, perhaps, and made a link of connection 
between your little boy and you, may be more 
to him, more influential over his character, more 
potent in binding his heart to you while living, 
his memory to you when you are dead, than a 
cost]}^ gift you ordered at the store. And when 
you. living a loving, natural life before your 
children, and with them, bend the knee in th§ir 
midst, and speak to God of them and of your- 
self, there is a powerful restraint being put on 
natural evil, there is a pleasant type of heaven 
where the whole family that is named after 
Jesus shall be gathered together.— i>/'. John 
Hall. 



I 



lousiness 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



But lay up for yourselves treasures in 
heave?!, where qeither rqotf] nor rust doth 
corrupt, and where thieves do not break 
througl] r|or steal. — Matthew 6:20. 



Business. 




Its Temptations and Its Dangers. 

^/f^l^OBERTBURDETTE has given some 
1^ advice to boys that may well be taken 
by the business men of to-day. He says, 
*'Get away from the crowd a little, stand one 
side and let the world run by while you get 
acquainted with yourself, and see what kind 
of a fellow you are. Ask yourself if you are 
really the manner of man people say you are. 
Find out if you are honest, if you always tell 
the square perfect truth in business, if your 
life is as good and upright at 11 o'clock at 
night, as it is at noon." 
We hear a good deal to-day about 

HUSTLERS AND RUSHERS 

in business life, men who are making money, 
building up large trade, and gaining fortunes. 
Among these there are a good many Christian 
men. Will it not be wise for them to "step 
aside" as Mr. Burdette has said, and have a 
private interview with themselves, and see if 
they are running their business on Christian 
principles, and according to "The book"? 

/. GocUs learning. It seems as if God, know- 
ing the love that men would beget for money, 
has given them warning again and again. 

But they that K;i7i he rich, fail into temptation 
and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtlul 
lusts, which drown men in destmiction and perdi- 
tion. 1 Tim. 6:9. 

For the love of money is the i^oot of all evil; which 
while some coveted after, they have erred from 
the faith and have pierced themselves throua:h 
With many sorrows. 1 Tim . 6 : 10. 



112 BUSINESS. 



It is said by some that a Christian man can 
not carry on business successfully and make 
money. We believe this to be false; but there 
are Christian business men that believe they 
are justified in adopting many of the worldly 
methods which are very questionable, if not 
positively dishonest, and when expostulated 
with, say, "Oh, "business is business,'' and it 
must be overlooked. It is one of the "tricks 
of trade." How much real dishonesty passes 
under this head! We say "passes/' It is 
winked at, but it will ultimately bring its pun- 
ishment. 

There is a story told that in olden times 
when church bells were not as common as now, 
a monk of St. Gaul, France, made a bell with 
such a sweet and solemn tone that it charmed 
every listener.' 

THE EMPEROR CHARLEMAGNE 

sent to the monk a quantity of silver, with 
which to make a second bell, thinking that the 
finer metal would make a bell with still sweeter 
tone. 

When the monk saw the silver he began to 
wish that he might keep some for himself; and 
thinking that no one would know the differ- 
ence, he made the bell of inferior metal and 
tried to pass it for silver; but when hanging 
the bell, he met with an accident and was 
killed. His fraud was discovered, and the 
people thought he had been justly punished. 
How much cheating of just this character is 
practiced to-day in business. And just as sure 
as the bell maker came to a sudden end, so will 
men be punished by God, who sees the fraud, 
though man may not see it. 

For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, 

saith the Lord. Rom. 12:19. 

Be sure your sin willj^7id you out. Num. 33:23. 



BUSINESS. I13 



What was Naboth's vineyard worth to Ahab? 
(Read 1 Kings 21:1-19.) What was the treasure 
for which Naaman was deceived, and about 
which Gehazi the servaat of Elisha lied, worth 
to him? (Read 2 Kings 5:9-27.) What was 
the profit of the thirty pieces of silver to Judas? 
(Read Matt. 27:1-5.) What did Ananias and 
Sapphira gain by the utterance of a falsehood 
to Peter? (Read Acts 5:1-10). And what fruit 
have a multitude of others had in treasures 
wrongfully acquired? 

They have had sorrow, remorse, self accusa- 
tion, and sometimes an awful death. 

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with 
silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with in- 
crease. Eccl. 5:10. 
How true it is, that those who live only to 
make money, and strive to get rich, ai^e not sat- 
isfied when they have gotten riches. "Abder- 
ahman III., the Moorish ruler of Cordova, in 
the ninth century, was one of the most accom- 
plished monarch? of his time, and a man of 
great wealth. Three miles from Cordova he 
built a grand palace and gardens, their con- 
struction occupying twenty-five years, and 
costing fifteen millions of dollars, at a time 
when ,labor was very cheap. 

And yet when he had exhausted all of his re- 
sources for pleasure, there was found in his 
closet after his death, a document which read 
as follows: 

. "I have reigned about fifty years. Riches 
and honor, power and pleasure, have waited 
on my call. In this situation 1 have dili- 
gently numbered the days of pure and gen- 
uine happiness which have fallen to my lot. 
They amount to fourteen. 

II Ood' s question. There is a question that 
God has put to every man who is thinking 
'^^-te of making money than anything else la 



114 BUSINESS. 



this world. It comes to him as many a finan- 
ciai question often comes. 

For what shall it profit a man if he gain the 
whole world and Jose his own soul? 
Or what shall a man give in exchange for his 
soul? Mark 8:36,37. 

That is, with what can a man buy back Ms 
soul, after having lost it in his effort to gain 
the whole world. 

There are a great many young men who 
think that 7naki?ig 77107167/ constitutes true suc- 
cess, but this is a mistake. Some men who 
have accumulated great fortunes, have admit- 
ted this. Some years ago one of our New 
York merchants lay dying. He had begun life 
as a boot black, and had risen in business cir- 
cles until at the time of his death he was worth 
eight million dollars; but upon his death bed 
as he took a retrospective view of his life, he 
exclaimed, *'My life has been a failure.'' Why 
did he think his life had been a failure? he had 
made a fortune? "j^es, but he had neglected his 
soul, and as he came face to face with death, 
he realized that to live meant something more 
to man than making money. 

And he said unto them. Take heed and beware 
of covetousness; for h man's lite consisteth not 
in the ahundance of the things which he possess- 
eth. Luke 12:15. 

We like to see a man earnest in business, and 
faithful in opportunities and capital. We 
believe that God desires man to be enthusi- 
astic, but let it be along the right line, and as 
if God was the employer and we the employes. 

Let us be as enthusiastic in Christian work 
as in business, D,nd cai^ry the tico together. Rev. 
F. Von Schluembach tells of once visiting a 
friend where he met a man of this stamp. He 
says, "I went into a place in St. Louis to see a 
friend. While there a commercial traveler 



BUSINESS. 115 



» 



came in and said, *1 want to sell you some 
jewelry/' "Get out/' said the proprietor. *'I 
don't want to see your samples." "But you 
must," said the man; "I won't get out," and 
began to unpack. The man became interested 
and so did I. He showed him a fine lot of 
goods, diamonds, pearls and precious stones 
set in gold, and sold the man seven hundred 
dollars worth. Well, thought I, that fellow 
is smart. When he had sold the bill, he said 
to the merchant, "Now I have one more thing 
to show you; the best thing I've got;" and he 
began to go deeper into his cases, and I began 
to wonder what he could mean; better than 
gold, diamonds and pearls? and I got up 
closer, and the merchant did too. The 
"drummer," took out a little case and opened 
it, and there icas a' Bagster Bible, and as he 
turned the leaves, said, "This is the pearl of 
great price. This is better than all earthly 
possession. It is God's word. Sir, are you a 
Christian?" This man had enthusiasm, both in 
business and in Christian life. 

III. God's desire in regard to man's life and 
labor. 

Lay not up for yourself treasures "upon earth, 
where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where 
thieves break through and steal; but lay up 
for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither 
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves 
do not break though nor steal; for where your 
treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matt. 
6:19-21. 

If God has given you power to acquire 
wealth, recognize the fact that the power is 
.given you by Him. 

But thou Shalt remember the Lord thy God: for 
tt is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. 
Deut. 8:18. 

Then after recognizing this fact use your 
power, not simply to see how much you can 



Il6 BUSINESS. 



make for your own aggrandizement, but for 
Ris honor and glory. And guard against al- 
lowing your heart to be set on them. 

If riches Increase stt not your heart upon them 
Psa. 62:10. 

Why? Notice why. 

He that trusheth in his riches shall fall. Prov 

11:38. 

For riches certainly make themselves wings; 

they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Prov. 

23:5. 

Gain all you can honestly, but do not cheat, 
or steal, thinking to gain the more by so doing; 
you will fail in the saving of your soul, and in 
the laying up of treasure in heaven. 

Some time ago a man rose in a prayer meet- 
ing to speak. The subject of the evening was, 
**What must 1 do to be saved.'' The man was 
noted for his crookedness in business. As he 
arose he repeated the words in a slow and sol- 
emn tone, ''What must I do to be saved,'' and 
then stopped, whereupon a voice in clear and 
distinct tones, replied, "Go and pay John 
Williams for that yoke of oxen." 

While we are saved alone by faith in Christ, 
before God, it is true that before the world, we 
are saved by our works, and a msiTi' s prof ession 
becomes a ''dead letter'' in the eyes of the 
world, if by his life he fails to show his faith. 

A great many, before they can be saved, or 
guide others to the Saviour, must go and pay 
some man the money they honestly owe. And 
there is nothing that will go farther to prove 
that a man is in earnest than such an act. 

Two infidels lived together for several years 
as neighbors in ISew England. At last one of 
them heard the Gospel and became a Christian. 
Soon after the converted man went to the 
house of his infidel neighbor, and said, "I have 
come to talk to you; I have been converted," 



BUSINESS. 117 



''Yes, SO I have heard/' said the skeptic; **I 
thought you a more sensible man/* 

**Well/' said the Christian, "I have a duty to 
do to you, and I want you to hear me/' 

"I have four sheep in my flock that belong 
to you. They came into my fold six years ago. 
They had your mark on them, but I changed it 
and put mine on them. You tried to find them, 
Dut failed. They are in my field with their 
increase, and now 1 have come to settle the 
matter. I have lain awake nights over my sin, 
and I want to get rid of my burden. I am at 
your option, I will do what you say. I have a 
good farm and money at interest, and you can 
have all you ask, or If it is a 

FEW YEARS IN STATES -PRISON, 

I will suffer that, only say the word.** The 
infidel was amazed. He began to tremble, 
and said, "If you have the sheep, keep them, 
if you will only go away; a man that will come 
to me as you have, must have something that I 
do not understand. Keep the sheep.'' 

"No," said the Christian, "I must settle this 
matter, and pay for them. What shall it be?" 
"Well," said the infidel, if you must pay for 
them, give me what they were worth when 
they got into your field, and six per cent inter- 
est, and let me alone." The Christian counted 
out the amount including the interest, then 
doubled it, then laid down as much more beside 
it and went his way, leaving a load on the 
neighbor's heart, almost as heavy as that which 
he himself had borne. The effect was wonder- 
ful, and the infidel was brought to believe in 
the power of the gospel. 

A GOOD NAIVIE is rather to be chosen than great 
riches, and lo^ingr favour than silver and gold. 
The rich and the poor meet tog-ether : the Lord 
is the maker of them all. Prov. 33:1-3. 



A Question for the Church. 

Not long since the pastor of one of our city 
churches preached a sermon in w'hich he dealt 
with this "question: *'Why has the miraculous 
disappeared from the Church? ' We do not 
purpose entering upon a criticism of the sermon, 
or the theories advanced, but when we learned a 
few facts regarding that evening's service we 
concluded that the preacher might have adopted 
with some slight variation the inscription upon 
the tablet in memory of Sir Christopher Wren. 
"If you would see his mo^^ument look around 
you." So this preacher might have said, *'if 
you wish to know why the miraculous has dis- 
appeared look in the pews," for in each pew 
lay a programme of an entertainment to beheld 
at an early date, and if that was not proof 
enough, the additional evirlence w^s forthcom- 
ing when among the notices given from the 
pulpit was one to the effect that as the pastor's 
former lecture on *'Jack Horner" had proved 
such a success, he had prepared another upon 
"Jack Spratt" ! ! ! which would be delivered 
during the week. We cannot help thinking 
that were the Lord to come to such churches 
His first miracle, or manifestation of power 
would be to repeat the scene ot John 2:14-16, 
with the use of a rope instead of "small cords/' 
-^Selected. 



I 



%hc Church 



HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD. 



I 



Clqrlst also loved the cF]urcl], and gave 
himself for it; that he might saqctifLj and 
cleanse it withj the washing of water by 
the word, -tlqat he migh|t present it to him- 
self a glorious church, not having spot y or 
wrinkle J or any such thiqg; but that it 
sFjOuld be holy and without blemish, — 
Ephesians ^:2^'2y. • 




The Church. 

Its Mission, Methods, and Mistakes. " 

HE mission of the church of Christ is 
set forth in the great commission of our 
Lord and Master. 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world 
and preach the Gos^j el to every creature. Mark 
16:15. 

The message given the church to proclaim, in 
the ears of a lost world, is the gospel of Jesus 
Christ, which means good news. 

He who gave Himself for the church, did so, 
not to organize a club, or a society for social life, 
and literary culture, but a company of follow- 
ers who would endeavor to do the work to 
which he called them. 

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you* 
and ordained you, that ye should go and hring 
forth fruit, sjid. that your fruit should remain. 
Jno. 15:16. 

So, it is through this fruit hearing that the 
church is to glorify the Father. 

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye hear much 
fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. John 15:8. 

Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that believeth 
on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and 
greater works than these shall he do; because I go 
unto my Father. Jno. 14 :12. 

Jesus raised dead bodies to life, but he has 
chosen to honor us, by making us the human 
means of raising dead souls, which in His judg- 
ment, is a greater work than raising dead bod- 
ies. 

The work of the church is not only- to bring 
souls to Christ, but to care for and feed them: 
First upon the milk of the word, and then the 



THE CHURCH. 



meat. And to labor to bring all into the perfect 
manhood of Christ. Eph. 4:11-13: 

WHAT METHODS SHALL WE USE? 

How to work for God, what methods and 
means we shall use, is a very important ques- 
tion. 

He that winneth souls is wise. Prov 1 :30. 

In our work we are to win men. The gospel 
always says Come, never, go. If you try to 
drive a swarm of bees into, a field you will get 
the worst of it. But fill the field with sweet 
flowers, and cultivate them, and you will not 
be able to keep the bees out. Try to force men 
to be Christians, and they will turn upon you; 
but let them see the blessedness and joy the 
Christian has, and you will draw them to 
Christ. 

A most excellent and simple way to win men 
is by givins: them a good ha7id shake and wel- 
come, making them feel that you desire their 
presence. Rev. Mark Guy Pearse says, '*I had 
a church once in which there were no working 
men, I said, we shall never prosper until we 
get working men in here.' One day I got hold 
of their hands, and 

ONE HAND FELT DIFFERENT 

from the rest. I said to that man, come and 
see me to-morrow night at 8 o'clock.' He did. 
For thirty years he lived in that town, and no 
one had spoken to him about Christ. He said, 
**I have kept my soul alive by praying about 
the streets.' What brought you to my place, 
I asked? He said. 'My boy came home and 
said some one shook hands with him, and 1 de- 
termined to go and see if they would shake 
hands with me." That man brought ten men 
to the Bible class the next Sunday afternoon. 
I believe the biggest human power is a down- 
right hearty hand shake." 



THE CHURCH. 123 



A man that hath friends must show himself 
friendly^ and there is a friend that stlcketh closer 
than* a brother. Prov 18:24. 

If we would have men know tlie loving 
friendship of Christ, we, who are His represen- 
tatives, must show ourselves friendly in His 
behalf, and so win them to Him. > 

There must be more love in the great heart 
of the church, a love that will help us to love 
the unlovely. There are those who are willing 
to work among persons of their own class, 
whose education, dress and manners, make 
them companionable, but are unwilling to work 
amon^ those who are sometimes called the ''iin- 
washed'J' those whose manners are awkward 
or even repulsive, whose dress is poor and un- 
kept, and who are too ignorant to carry on in- 
telligent conversation. It has been said by 
some one, "it is hard for a man to love an ugly 
woman, yet Christ loved an ugly church, a 
church void of beauty, and full of faults, way- 
ward, disobedient, unfaithful, and unfruitful. 
Yes, Christ loved the Church and gave himself 
for it. This should be the pattern of our af- 
fections; as he died for us, so ought we to lay 
down our lives for the unsaved/' 

Christ also loved the church and gave himself for 
it that he might sanctify it and cleanse it with 
the washing of water, by the word. Eph. 5:25-26. 
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to lovt 
one another . 1 John 4 : 11. 

Let us pray that the love of God may be shed 
abroad in our hearts, and be like a very well- 
spring within us, that we may have the grace 
to love those who have no loveliness, and in 
whom there is nothing to draw out one's af- 
fections. It requires just this love to enable 
us to reach those who need it. The trouble 
with too many of us, is this: We have been 
feeding on the world's diet, and while the new 
nature has been growing weak^ the old nature 



k 



124 THE CHURCH. 

has been growing strong. ''A farmer having a 
sheep with three lambs, and a goat with one 
kid, took one of the lambs from the sheep and 
placed it with the kid. Alas, for the experi- 
ment! When the lambs came to maturity, the 
one brought up with the kid gave its owner 
more trouble than all the rest of the sheep. 

AMONG OTHER BAD HABITS, 

it had that of butting, and so troubled the flock 
greatly. The farmer attributed this to the 
goat's diet upon which it had been brought up. 
In God's word, Christians are likened to sheep, 
and the unconverted to goats. Sometimes the 
sheep wander away among the goats, and take 
the goaf s diet. Many a pastor can testify that 
if there is any trouble in the church, some of 
these roaming sheep are at the bottom of W* 

And he said to them all, If any man will come 
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his 
cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23. 
And he that ta?cet^ not his cross and foUoweth 
after me, is not worthy of me. Matt. 10 :38. 

A Christian life means a very different life 
from that which is lived by an unbeliever, and 
we are not to go down to them, asking them to 
share with us a religious form void of life, but 
we are to beseech men to coine up with us into a 
new creation in Christ. 

Dr. A. J. Gordon of Boston says in speaking 
upon this same subject, "How much we are com- 
ing to lean on mere human agencies; upon art 
and architecture, upon music, rhetoric, and so- 
cial attractions! If we would draw the people 
to church that we may win them to Christ, the 
first question with scores of Christians now-a- 
days is, what new turn can be given to the ka- 
leidoscope of entertainment? What new stop 
can we insert in our organ, and what richer 
and more exquisite strains can we reach by our^ 
(quartette? What fresh novelty in the way of 



THE CHURCH. I25 

social attraction can we introduce? Oh, for a 
faith to abandon utterly these devices of natu- 
ralism, and to throw the Church without reserve 
upon the 

POWER OP THE SUPERNATURAL." 

Let our methods be those that God has given. 
Let us send out the Gospel with its good news 
of love and life. Let this truth be preached 
not only by those in the pulpit, but by those ia 
the pew, through a godly life, and by consecra- 
ted living. Let us try more prayer, let us en- 
deavor to honor the Holv Spirit more, and 
man methods less. We recognize the fact that 
God has always used human means, and blesses 
special methods, and that at times the Spirit 
moves men in the work of bringing the un- 
saved to decision, to use different methods, but 
let us ever remember that everything on our 
part fails unless accompanied by the Holy Spir- 
it's power. 

Not by mig-ht, nor by power, but hy my Spirit* 
saith the Lord of hosts. Zech. 4:6. 
But ye shall receive power after that the Holy 
Ghost is come upon you. Acts 1 :8. 

MISTAKES IN CHURCH WORK. 

We believe the church can sing the song that 
the sinner often sings: ''The mistakes of my 
life have been many.*' 

There are several that we might mention 
briefly, but the one which seems most glaring 
and flagrant to us, and is becoming more and 
more alarming is the manner in which the 
church is ''courting the world." Dr. Howard 
Crosby in speaking of this evil, states, "The 
Jewish church struck on this rock, the Romish 
church has been wrecked on the same, and the 
Protestant church is fast 

REACHING THE SAME DOOM.' ' 



126 THE CHURCH. 



Pure religion and undefiled before God and the 
Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and wid- 
ows in their affliction, and to keep himself UU' 
spotted from the world . James 1 :27, 

There are a great many in our churches who 
know of 710 higher forms of Christian actimty 
than getting up a church entertainment, fair or 
festival, for the purpose of raising money. 
What a poor commentary this is upon their 
spiritual life! It is true we need money for the 
Lord's work, but we believe that the churches 
which hold fast to scriptural lines of work, are 
blest temporally and spiritually far more than 
those who lower the standard, and resort to 
wordly methods, or tricks that would not be 
allowed in trade. 

*1 suppose you have heard that I am a 
skeptic,'' said a gentleman to a minister with 
whom lie was dining, *'I will tell you; I was 
associated with a church, and they erected a 
church building, putting on it for show a $3,000 
steeple which could do no one any good. They 
got up a social and I went to it. They charged 
ten cents admission fee. I handed them fifty 
cents and looked for forty cents change; but 
the lady said, ' Pass right in. We never give 
any change. ' Now if that had been a world^s 
show, they would ham been honest, and given 
me my change, but the church was not. They 
had a cake which they chanced off for a ring 
in it at so much apiece. This was the nature 
of a lottery. They charged ten cents a vote 
for who was the prettiest lady, and ten cents a 
vote for the homeliest lady." "Now,'* said he, 
"to that kind of religion I dm an infidel, but to 
the religion taught in the Scriptures, I am not an 
infidel.'' 

Are there not many infidels of like character 
all about us, and will not the churches be re- 
sponsible for them? 



THE CHURCH. 127 

We believe our Lord, were He to enter some 
of our houses of worship, to-day, as he once 
entered the temple, would need to come with a 
whip of small, or perhaps better, large cords, 
and drive out this worldly crowd. Especially 
would this be needed were he to deal with 
some of our organizations that have an append- 
age called a ''society'' composed of unbelievers, 
the existence of which brings about an unholy 
and unscriptural alliance of the Church and the 
world, and which does more harm than good, 
because men who will not accept Christ and 
become part of the church, quiet their con- 
science with the thought that they are members 
of the ''society.'* 

Let us endeavor to win all men to Christ with- 
out partiality, or showing ourselves respecters of 
persons. 

For if there come into your assembly a man 
with a gold ring*, in goodly apparel, and there 
come In also a poor man in vile raiment; and ye 
have respect to him that weareth the gay cloth- 
ing, and say unto him sit thou here in a good 
place, and say to the poor, stand thou there, or 
sit here under my footstool: are ye not then 
partial in yourselves and are become judges of 
evil thoughts ? Jas. 2:2-4. 

Dr. Geo. C. Adams once said in a public ad- 
dress, *'I need only to step into the gallery of a 
fashionable church when seated on Lord's day, 
to tell where the wealthy are, knowing which 
of the pews are the most desirable. The sys- 
tem of allowing a man, because of his wealth, to 
control the best seat in the house of worship is 
directly forbidden of this Scripture/' 

When we can as stewards use aright the 
Lord's means that he has entrusted to us, 
"these dubious resorts of a half -faithless policy 
will disappear." 



Religion and Business. 

It is possible to put into one's coming and go- 
ing, into one's doing, a glow of reverence for 
God, and to make it evident in every transaction 
that one is trying to be obedient to the Divine 
will. Men may be strictly honest— true in 
speech and all that— and yet be worldly. How 
often one hears the remark that business is busi- 
ness. Very true. But business may be more 
than business; it may be a means of grace. It 
may be, and ought to be, a school in whicti the 
soul grows in gratitude, in patience, in faith, in 
love, and in all the qualities through which 
a soul comes into fitness to fellowship now and 
evermore with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a 
pitiable sight to see a man hard and cold in his 
business life, as though this were a great section 
of his existence in which there is no possibility 
of cultivating religious principle and having 
the grace of God. It is a refreshing sight to 
see a man living in the world and doing with 
his. might what his hand finds to do, and yet 
doing all in this spirit of loyalty to the Master. 
-^Selected. 



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>eavened Bread," a book filled with the meat of the 
word. 

This book ought to be read by all. 

It is truth sucli as contained in this book, that the 
^Jliristlanneeds to increase love for the Bible. 



Christ Our Strength, 



51 pp. Paper, 5c each; 50c per aoz. 

Anything which affects the Christian's walk on 
earth, whether for good or evil, is surely worth his 
attention. Such things are touched upon in this 
little booklet. It seeks to magnify Christ not only 
as the sinner's Saviour, but his strength, his "all in 
all." The pages are affectionately addressed Gto 
every believer in Christ Jesus, and we wish every- 
one could read it and know more of the power of 
Christ in their lives. 



Counter Truths of Scripture , 

By Wm. Lincoln. J 

32 pag-es, 4c each, 40c per dozen, prepaid. 

It will be found upon examination that God's Book 
is generally, if not invariably, two-sided in its testi- 
mony. There is in us the tendency to set up one of 
these statements of truth in opposition to the other. 
TVe are sure the student of the scriptures will re- 
ceive help in harmonizing truth from this little 
booklet. 



Dublin Addresses. 

338 pp. Paper, 40c ; cloth, 75c. 

A series of addresses by such leaders and writers 
AS Soltau, Lincoln, liaiusford, Keid, Varley, Trench, 
Radstock, Taylor, Groves and Johnston, delivered at 
the great conventions for Bible study held at Dublin. 
This book also contains a short history of these 
wonderful gatherings, and is invaluable to Christian 
workers. 

'•TTe would that every preacher could set forth the 
truth as these men can."— W. P. H. 



Entire Sanct'fication, 

And Practical Holiness. 
Paper cover, 46 pp., 5c each, lOc per doz. 

The subject of Entire Sanctification and Practical 
Holiness has been very hard for some to understand. 
We believe this little work will give light and help to 
any one seeking to know the truth, and willing to 
take the "Word of God as his or her guide. Send for 
the book and prove its worth. 



Golden Lamp, The 

or, Truth in Love for the Children of God. 

8mo. Z 284 pp. Cloth, 75c. 

This volume is what it purports to be, a book con- 
taining truth. There are ninety-two choice Scrip- 
tural articles, from the pen of careful students, 
giving much help over the "hard places'' that many 
who are only taking the "milk" of the Word, find as 
they try to take the "meat." It has a complete index 
and will be found very heipful to the Bible student. 



God's Word on Divine Healing, 

By Carra H. Close. 
88 pp. Paper, 10c. each. 

This little volume is a text book on the subject ol 
divine healing. It contains all of the Scriptures 
(printed in full) bearing upon this subject found in 
the Bible. 

'•Those who desire to know what God says upon 
His power to heal will find this book invaluable. "We 
commend it."— The Illustrator. 



He That Believeth Not Shall be Damned. 

By Geo. F. Pentecost, D. D. 

Paper cover, 32 pp., 5c each, 50c per doz. 

The writings of Dr. Pentecost need no recommen- 
dation. This little work bears upon the vital and 
much discussed subject of future punishment. 
What saith the Scriptures is the question, and this 
little book will help you to know what the testimony 
of the Word is upon this important subject. 



Immediate Salvatior. 

For the Chief of Sinners. 

By James Gall. 
Paper coveT-,72 pp., 6c. 
This book Is a practical guide for anxious In- 
quirers. It has been greatly used and has an im- 
mense circulation. 

"Whoever gives this booklet to an enquirer will 
not fail to give that which will be helpful."— S. F. H. 



Life Truths. 

By J. Denham Smith. 
Paper cover, 118 pp., 10c each. 

This little book is considered the best book written 
by Mr. Smith and has had an immense circulat on. 
It is really a series of helpful Bible studies and every 
one who reads it, recommends it most highly to all 
who would know the truth more fully and rtnd spirit- 
ual food. 



Lincoln's Leaflets — 2iid Series. 

By Wm. Lincoln, 
Paper cover, 167 pp,, only 15c, 
Nine Booklets in one . 
The following nine chapters will be found to con- 
tain the meat of God's Word. "Christ is All in AIL" 
*'The fulness of the Son of God." "The Ways oi 
Grace." "The Sons of God" "The Morning Star.*' 
"The Person and Work of the H. G." The Great 
Lesson of the Transfiguration " The 3rd of St. JoIUL" 
"True Ground of theAssembly of God." 

Lectures on the Epistles of St. John, 

By W. Lincoln. 
197 pp. Paper, 35c ; cloth, 55c. 

These lectures have been used by God as means of 
enlightenment and comfort to thousands of His peo^ 
pie, and this new edition is sent forth with the 
earnest hope that He may still more abundantly use 
them to His glory. 

This is one of the most spiritual commentaries on 
the epistle of St. John. 



On Giving, 

By J. R. Caldwell. 
Paper cover, 32pp, 5c each, 50c per doz. 

The subject of benevolence, or giving, Is a subject 
of personal Interest to every believer in Christ. 

The Church is very ignorant upon this subject, 
and has not been educated to give as it should. It 
will be rendering a service to the cause, if some 
Christian would scatter this booklet in quantity, and 
help to educate Christians to give. 



Rightly Dividing the Word, 

By Rev. C. I. Scofield. 
Paper cover, 89 pp., 15c. 

Have you a relish for Bible stndy? If not. secure 
this book and read it. as it ^vlil give you, not only a 
relish for the Word, hut greatly enable you to under- 
stand many subjects, such as the Resurrection, the 
Judgments and the Second Coming of Christ. 

This book is becoming very popular and will soon 
have a large sale. 

Soul and its Difficulty, The, 

By Hexet William Sottan. 

Paper cover, 100 pp. Sc each, 80c per d02. 

This little book was prepared for those "vrho are in 
doubt and need spiritual help. It contains short 
chapters answering short questions as these. "I 
fear I am too great a siimer." ''I have not repented 
enough.'* ,"I do not feel that I am saved." Also 
help on some troublesome verses of scripture. It 
has had an immense sale, and is very popular. 



Studies in the Book of Joshua. 

Paper cover, .54 pp., 5c each, 50c pe\ aoz. 
By H. a, G. 

This booklet gives us the spiritual meanings of one 
of the most interesting old testament books. Joshua 
has in it the Church in Mysterv. The anti-type of 
Canaan in this book seems to be the heavenlies>f 
Ephesians. 



Substitution, 

By J. De>'ham Smith. 
Paper cover, 32 pp., 4c eacb, 40c per doz. 
Mr. Smith is one of the most scriptural and 
spiritual writers in all England, and in this little work 
he sets forth the old old story of Christ the sinners' 
substitute, as it is pictured in the sacrifice of the old» 
in a striking and convincing style. 



TIachlng 
• ouilines 

>M)RKERS 

"DumningClasses 



Suggestive 

Teaching Outlines. 
For Trrining Classes. 
By John H. Elliott. 

Antbor of Xotes and 
Suggestions for Bible 
Readings, and other 
Bible Helps. 

Cloth, 132 pp., 50c. 

The best book for 
classes that desire 
systematic study. 



Systematic Giving. 

By Geo. Muller and J. R. Caldwell, 

Paper cover, 33 pp., 4c each, 40c per doz. 

There are few men who can speak more intelli- 
gently on the subject of systematic giving, than Mr. 
Muller. This booklet contains a number of letters- 
from parties sent to Mr. Muller, testifying to the 
blessing of systematic giving, and any one desiring 
to know the experiences of others ought to read 
them. 



The Two Natures. 

By J. Dexham Smith. 

"^ 4c each ; 40c per doz. postpaid. 
There is no subject, if rightly understood, that will 
enable the Christian to so understand his experi- 
ences, as the subject of the two natures. This 
little booklet not only sets forth this subject clearly 
and forcibly but also life in Christ, and that into 
which the believer is brought by faith in Christ. 
This volume contains two beautiful chapters. 



The Blood of the Lamb, 

Or Salvation Only in Christ. 

Paper cover, 5c each, 50c per doz. 

This little work tells of ten different things that 
the precious blood of Christ does for the sinner. 

"The little book is full of the sweetness of the 
gospel."— S. F. H. 

"We hope to see the circulation of this book,which 
Is 60 Immense, greatly increased."— A. C. E. 



The Feasts of the Lord , 

By H. W. Soltan. 

Paper cover, 32 pp., 4c each, 40c per doz. 

This little booklet contains notes of an address on 
the first four feasts of Leviticus 23rd chapter. 
He gives us the type in the old testament and the 
anti-type (Christ) in the new. It is very helpful in 
understanding the spiritual meaning of these feasts = 



The Gift Of the Holy Spirit, 

By Rey. E. R. Drake. 

Paper cover, 10c each. 

This is a book every Christian ought to read. It 
contains the truth clearly presented on one of the 
most important subjects in Scripture, little under- 
stood by the average Christian. One will be 
well repaid by reading this book. 



The Last Days. 

Compiled by John E. Rodd. 

Paper cover, 52 pp., 5c each, 50c per doz. 

This is a convenient text book on the second com- 
ing of Christ. It contains 14 chapters of Scripture 
quotations printed in full, prefaced by a few intro- 
ductory remarks, and will be found very valuable 
to the Bible student. Highly recommended by 
leading workers. 



The Wordless Book, 



Stiff cover, 5c each ; 50c per doz. 

This little book is something unique. It consists 
of four leaves; the first of black, to represent sin; 
the second of red, to represent the blood that 
cleanses from sin; the third white, to represent 
righteousness, and the last gold, to represent the 
glory. Upon the inside of the cover are Scripture 
verses bearing upon the truth as taught by the differ- 
ent colors. Very useful to a teacher in illustrating 
truth. 



The Work of the Ho!y Spirit 

By Rev. E. R. Drake. 

Paper cover, 10c each. 

This Is a companion book for "The gift cf the Holy 
Spirit." Full of thoughts of gi'eat strength, and 
clearness, which will commend themselves at once." 
— Y. M. C. A. Watchman. 

CD If we would see more of the "Work of the Spirit" 
In our own lives, let us read more works of this 
character calculated to help us greatly. 



Truth In a Nutshell . (210th thousand.) 

By Harold F. Satles, Evangelist. 
2c each ; 15c per doz ; $1.00 per 100, postpaid. 

A 16 pp. tract of Scripture verses, printed in full 
with brief explanations and illustrations; beginning 
with the sinner lost, and leading him step by step 
unto salvation, showing how to live and work for 
God. 

"I can't do without it."— J. T. P. 

"I never saw any that can approach it."— J. F. W. 

*'I wish every person in the world could have one." 

The Word for the Work . (80th thousand.) 

By Harold F. Satles, Evang:elist. 
Stiff manilla cover, 5c each. 

- This pamphlet contains over 200 choice verses of 
Scripture printed in full, and arranged under 30 dif- 
ferent headings, to enable the worker to meet the 
excuses of the unsaved. Used by workers every- 
where; many testimonials like the following; "the 
best thing of the kind I have ever seen," from the pen 
of the late Deacon L. A. Willard, have been given it. 



Wonderful Love of God. 

By Mrs. Clara H. Scott. 

Author of ''Royal Anthem Book." 

10 cents each, postpaid. Special rates In quantity. 

Mrs. Scott's compositions arechighly recommended 

and used by such leaders of song as Drs. H. R. 

Palmer and Geo. F. Root, Profs. Ludden Case, Mc- 

Grannahan, Tenney, Sweeney and others. 

This new song has a charm that Is wonderfully tak- 
ing, Send for a sample and test Its worth. 



The Gospel Alphabet. 

Or the Titles of Jesus. 

w By Mrs. Geo. C. Needham. 

C Fancy stiff cover. Size 8x10. 15c each. 

As a rule when children are tirst learning to read, 
they are given Mother Goose melodies, and a variety 
of literature which is senseless,and to a large extent 
trashy. Why not store their minds with something 
that will help them when they come to study. Here 
is just the book. AVe give a few of the verses as 
samples of its contents. 

A Stands for Advocate, Alpha, Amen,— All titles 
of Jesus, the Saviour of men. 
Is for Bridegroom, for Bishop, for Bread; the 

child that receives Him, with manna is fed. 
Is for Corner-stone, Captam and Cheif ; The 
Christ who could pardon the penetent thief. 
Stands for Day-star, Deliver, Door; who enter by 
Him shall have life evermore 



B 

C 
D 



Books of the Bible in Rhyme/ 

By Mrs. Geo. C. Needham. 
Illustrated. Size, 8x10, 25c each. 
This children's volume contains the story of the 
books of the Bible in their order; in most cases the 
central thought of the book is set forth in a verse of 
rhyme with the gingle that pleases the young. It is 
a splendid book for S. S. teachers in work with the 
children, and in quantity can be had at a reduction. 
Below we give a few selections to let one see 
the style of the book. 

GENESIS. 
First, Genesis, which of creation doth tell; 
And how man in Eden from holiness fell. 

EXODUS. 
Then Exodus follows, which means going out; 
And narrates how the Hebrew journeyed about. 

MATTHEW. 
The New Testament bo^ks, by Matthew begun; 
Trace Christ down from David, his Lord and his Son. 



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